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Ebenezer Robinson 



[All old wood cut used in the "History 
of Reading. \t , and loaned by 
Gilbert A. Davis, of Windsor, Vl.] 



A HISTORICAL SKETCH 



OF THE 



Robinson Family 



OF THE LINE OF 



EBENEZER ROBINSON 

A Soldier of the Re'voluiion. 



Born at Lexington, Mass., Feb., 14th, 1765. 
Died at South Reading, Vt., Oct. 31, 1857. 



BY 

JANE BANCROFT ROBINSON, Ph. D. 

Member oj A fneric'a// Historical Society. 



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1903 

Detroit, Michigan 



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Detroit, Michigan 



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TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGES 

Sketch of the life of Ebenezer Robinson — Witnessed the British 
retreat from Lexington — Entered the Naval Privateer Ser- 
vice — Taken prisoner — Long imprisonment in "Old Prison 
Ship Jersey" — Exchange — Enlistment in the Continental 
Army — His service — His discharge after two years' service — 
Settlement in Vermont — His long, nseful life and citizen- 
ship — His death — His children 5-16 

CHAPTER n. 

William Robinson, of Newton, or of Watertown — Earliest 
known Robinson ancestor — Organizations of towns of Water- 
town, Cambridge and Newton — His probable emigration 
from the north of England — Married, abont 1665-68, Eliza- 
beth Cutter, daughter of Robert Williams, the ancestor of 
the founder of Williams College — His death and will 17--3 

CHAPTER HL 

The children of William Robinson — William Robinson, Jr., who 
owned a large farm where Auburndale is now located — Map 
of part of Newton of 1700 — Samuel Robinson, AncestcT of 
Bennington, Vt., branch of Robinsons 24-30 

CHAPTER IV. 

Jonathan Robinson, ancestor of the Reading, Yt.. branch of 
Robinsons — Purchased the Robinson farm in Lexington, 
Oct. II, 1706, still held in the family of his descendants — 
Reminiscences of the old farm house — View of the site of its 
ruins — Descendants of Jonathan Robinson — Sketch of the late 
Governor Geo. D. Robinson, a descendant — Children of 
James and Margaret Robinson — Eour sons in the Revdlu- 
tionary War, Joseph, Asa, James and Ebenezer — Family of 
James Robinson, Jr 31-41 



vi TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued. 



CHAPTKR V. 

PAGES 
Sketcli of life of Lewis RDliiiiMHi, eldest son of Ehi-nozer — An 
extensive pnlilislier of copper ])lale maps — Successfnl hnsiness 
career — Picture of his Vermont home — Sketcli of lives of 
children — Caroline and Alden Speare — Of Calvin L., of Eliza 
Ann, of George O., and other children 4-^-53 

CHAPTER VL 

Sketch of life of .\iar\in Ruhinson — Man of great energy and 
strength — His career — Of his children, hVanklin M., W'a lace 
F., 'and Elmer D. — Successful, capahle business men and good 
citizens — Other children 54-5S 

CHAPTER VIL 

Sketch of Ehenezcr Rohinsnn, Jr. — Of his sons, Stillman \V., a 
professor and inventor, Ehia .A. and Albert A., who built, 
as chief engineer, nearlv- the whc'e Santa Fe Railroad Sys- 
tem, President of Mexican Central Railway — Also sketch nf 
Eliza, the youngest daughter of Ehenezer Robinson, who 
married Washington Keyes — Sketch of their descendants.... 59-63 

CHAPTER Vin. 

Origin of the Robinson name — Study of genealogy — Surnames — 

Derivaticns from name — Robinson mottoes — Conclusion.... 64-68 



INTRODUCTION. 



It is with some degree of pleasure and satisfaction that 
the undersigned present this "Historical Sketch of the Rob- 
inson Famdy" to the descendants of Ebenezer Robinson, 
whose life is herein descri])ed. 

While on a \'isit to Boston last August, we had the 
pleasure of attending the biennial meeting of the "Ivobinson 
Family Association" at (lloncester, Mass.. of \isitino- the 
birthplace of Ebenezer Robinson at historic Lexington, and 
of viewing the lane where young Robinson, hearing the 
noise of the battle, ran down and witnessed the retreat of 
the British troops along the turn-pike to Boston. 

It was an eventful summer day to us when with our 
kodaks, we inspected the patriotic scenes about Lexington, 
and the interest awakened there and at the "Robinson Fam- 
ily" gathering at Gloucester is the responsible cause of thib 
sketch. 

If the descendants of Ebenezer Robinson take anything 
like the pleasure in reading- and tracing this family history 
that has been enjoyed in its pre])aration. we shall l)e amply 
repaid for the time and effort expended. 

In preparing this sketch there were many facts as to per- 
sons and families much to be desired, which we were unable 
or found difficult to obtain. This will account for any lack 
of uniformity in the facts given of the several families. We 
regret that we were not able to obtain pictures of the home 
of Ebenezer Robinson in South Reading and of other home- 
steads of Robinson families. 



viii INTRODUCTION. 



We are indeljted to Mr. Charles E. Robinson, of Yon- 
kers, X. ^'., the Historiographer of the "Robinson Family 
Association" for the "Rtibinson l'\'iniily Crest." as gi\en 
herein, and for many facts and snggestions relati\e t 
this history ; also to Rev. S. L. B. Speare, of Newton 
Mass.; to Mr. Georoe A. Gordon, of Boston. Recordin"' 



o 



Secretary of the New England Historic Geneal-ogical Soci- 
ety; to yiv. Arthnr H. Keyes, of Rntland, Yt.. and several 
other nieml)ers of the Robinson Eamily for \alnal)le infor- 
mation contained herein. 

With the l)est wishes of the nndersigned, this historical 
sketch is respectfnlh' submitted to the numerous descend- 
ants of our Revolutionary Hero. 

George O. Robinson, 
Jane B. Robinson. 

425 Cass Avenue. 

Detroit, Mich., June i, 1903. 



Note. — Any person dfsiring one or more copies of this Historical Sketch of tlie 
Robinson Family, can obtain snch by addressing Miss Hertha M. Gates, 21 Adams Ave. 
East. Detroit. Mich., and remitting 50 cents for each copy in paper cover and $1.00 
for each copy in cloth board cover. 



CHAPTER I. 

EBENEZER ROBINSON. 

The State of Massachusetts has furnished many "good 
men and true" to the upbuilding of the great Repubhc of the 
New World. Among these are statesmen and leaders far out 
of proportion to her population. The subject of this sketch, 
however, is one of the rank and file, one of the many up- 
right, substantial men, who have made New England what 
it is in influence and in history. 

New England has developed through its religion. Love 
of church privileges led the people to settle near one another, 
so that they could build meeting houses. They desired to 
educate their children to become not only good citizens but 
intelligent, exemplary citizens, and so they built school- 
houses. These conveniences gave rise to their town organ- 
izations, and to the town-meeting which did more to improve 
and elevate the people than any other political institution. 

The town-meeting assembled all the freemen on a level, 
public questions were openly discussed, and every freeman 
understood his civil and political rights, and to maintain 
them was ready to fight. Hence the citizens of New England 
kept up a military organization, selecting their wisest and 
most reliable men as officers, and often the same man held 
the office of both captain and deacon. The religious idea 
was the foundation stone of their civilization. 

We may call the Puritans of New England stern and 
austere, but their conceptions of life tended to elevate and 
ennoble. Their climate was cold and rigorous ; their land 
infertile ; their privations many. They were trained in the 
school of adversity. Yet it remains true as has been said : 
'Tn wealth, in learning, in social order, in everything which 
make a people truly great, the Colonies settled by the Puri- 
tans are decidedly in advance of any others." 



6 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

It was to such an envirnnment that Ebenezer Robinson 
was born b\'b. 14. 1765. His father, j^randfather and great- 
ofrandfather had all lived their hves in similar surroundings. 



fc> 



His mother died when he was a little boy of nearly three 
years, and his father when he was nine years of age. He con- 
tinued to live (ju in the old homestead, with his step-mother 
and four younger children to ])lay with, and to care for. 
Meanwhile the clouds on the political sky were gathering, 
and the young men of the fanuly shared in the indignant, 
resentful feeling of the colonists. Three of his older broth- 
ers were Reyolutionary soldiers, and his oldest brother, Jo- 
seph, took part in the battle of Lexington, the first outbreak 
of the war of the Reyolution. 

In yiew of these facts it is not strange that as a boy of 
sixteen, Ebenezer entered the service, becoming one of the 
defenders of his country. We ha\-e the story of his life 
from his own lips, as told to his grandson, George O. Robin- 
son, wdio had completed his college course at the Uniyersity 
of Vermont and was over twenty-five years of age wdien his 
grandfather died.* 

"One of the most remarkable of the early settlers of 
Reading-, Vt., was Ebenezer Robinson, a soldier of the Rev- 
olutionary war. who was born on the 14th day of Eebruary, 
1765, in Lexington, Mass.. near the i)lace where afterwards 
occurred the battle of Lexington. He was the sixth son 
of James and Margaret Robinson ; who lived at this time 
on the old homestead farm, which Jonathan Robinson, the 
father of James, purchased of Lsaac Powers in 1706, and 
on which James was born August 30th, 1715. 

Ebenezer Robinson settled in vSouth Reading, Yt., in the 
Spring of 1788, with his elder brother, James Robinson, 
who was then married. They located on the farm near South 
Reading recently owned and for a long time held by Wash- 
ington Keyes, which was then a wilderness. They built here 
a log cabin, and, immediately after, was born a son of James 
Robinson, Ebenezer Robinson, 2d (named after the subject 



*This narrative was prepared for and mainly taken from the "Hist, of Read- 
ing, Vt., G. A. Davis, Bellows Falls, Vt., 1874." 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 



of this sketch ) , who subsequently was a resident of Felch- 
ville, a village which sprung- u]) in the southeast part of 
Reading. He was familiarly kncnvn as Capt. Eb. In this 
log house the two brothers lived for several years, Ebenezer 
clearing and settling his farm adjoining, afterward so long 
owned and occupied by himself, till the summer of 1792, 
when he built a frame house, which is still standing as the 
wing or kitchen part of the present house, and to which in 
November, 1792. ha\-ing married Aliss Hannah Ackley, he 
took his bride and established his own happ_\- home. Pre- 
vious to this, the Ackley faniily had migrated from the vi- 
cinity of Haddam, Connecticut, and settled above South 
Reading-. In this frame house this devoted couple reared 
a large, intelligent, prosperous family and spent a happy 
life of sixty-six years together. In 1824 he Ijuilt on a large 
two-story frame mansion as an addition in front, which in 
those times was considered an unusually hue residence, and 
still stands as a respectable edifice. 

The hardships of clearing this hardwood wilderness farm 
were great, but he was always undaunted, and nothing baf- 
fled him. During this early period he successfully dealt in 
the real estate of this vicinity and secured many permanent 
settlers for the town. 

In his ninety-first year, while he was in the full vigor of 
intellect, he gave his grandson, Frank M. Robinson, of 
Dubucjue, Iowa, the following account of his early life, 
which was taken down in his own words : 

T was born in Lexington, Mass., on the 14th day of Feb- 
ruary, 1765. I was, therefore, only a lad of about ten years 
when the great struggle which ga\e freedom to the Ameri- 
can people began, when injtu'ed rights were to be \indi- 
cated, when I heard the report of musketry, in the (jpening 
scene of this conflict for freedom of conscience and freedom 
of country, in the streets and upon the Green of my own 
native town. 

Well do I remember the roll of the musketry and the noise 
of this battle of Lexington, and the excitement consequent 
upon the retreat of the British soldiers down the valley 



S HISTORICAL SKETCH 



past ni\- honie to Boston, and of the subsequent severer con- 
flict at Bunker's Hill, but a few miles distant. 

Thus earlv in life did I begin to cherish a warm love of 
country, amounting even to patriotism, and to be moved 
by a true sense of the dangers that seemed to threaten, not 
only the peace and c^uietude of the family and town, but 
the ruin of the whole colonial fabric. 

The engagements at Lexington, at Concord and upon 
Bunker's Height warmed my lx)som with more than a child- 
ish ardor to join the contest against British insolence and 
what savored of perpetual thralldom. Early in the spring 
of 1 78 1 I entered the service, accompanied by my brothers, 
Asa and James Robinson, on board the ship Belisarius, 
carrying 20 guns. The number on board, including officers, 
sailors, and soldiers, was 125. We set sail from Boston 
under the command of Capt. James Munroe. 

We cruised off south, along the coast of Pennsylvania, 
and about the mouth of the Susquehanna River, thence still 
southerly till we were in the region of the Equator, where 
one day we discovered at early dawn what appeared in the 
dim distance to be a ship. We gave chase, and after the 
lapse of many hours so neared the stranger that we were 
within cannon range of her. 

It was a much larger ship than our own and carried 
many more guns. We supposed her a heavy man-of-war of 
the British line, aufl began to prepare our noble vessel for 
an engagement. As is the custom in such instances, or in 
naval contests, all the sails were furled, except the top-sails 
and some of the stay-sails, which were just sufficient to 
govern the ship and change her position when necessary. 
Our cannon were charged and our torches burning, and wc 
waited for a change of position before we should salute her 
with a broadside. 

Meanwhile our enemy had eased her flight, furled sail, 
cleared deck, prepared for fight, and was the first to dis- 
charge her cannon. This assault was unexpected by us, as 
it was not attended by the usual formalities of naval warfare 
on the part of the stranger. In view of this cowardly act 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 9 

our coniniaiuler at once ordered us to draw alongside the 
unknown sliip, to grapple and hoard her as (piickly as pos- 
sible, but no sooner was this movement commenced than, to 
our surprise, not to say our chagrin, the vessel, which we 
had regarded all along as an English man-of-war, hcjisted 
Spanish colors, and thereby took away all pretext of war- 
fare, except the ill-treatment we had received. Capt. Mun- 
roe was at first inclined to resent this indignity, this violation 
of the usages of allied nations in their intercourse on the 
high seas in time of war. He however, gave vent to his 
irritation and anger by adressing the Spanish ccnumander in 
the most pre-emptory and decisive manner and terms, in 
relation to his cowardly, dastardly conduct. 

The Spanish Captain very coolly submitted, and offered 
to accompanv us and do us service when he could. The 
reply of Capt. Munroe was in these laconic words: "Go 
your wav. 1 prefer rather to be alone than attended by 

such a d d coward as you have shown yourself," and 

so we separated. 

From the equatorial regions, after capturing one or tw^o 
smaller prizes, we cruised northward off the West India 
Islands. We shifted about here for several days, until early 
one morning we discovered a fleet composed of several ships, 
vet at the distance thev were from us, we could not discern 
their number. They were steering directly toward us and 
bore every evidence, as they afterwards proved to be, of 
beino- a fleet of the British line. We endeavored to make 
our escape by flight. They gave us chase and followed in hot 
pursuit until past midday. During their pursuit, when 
they had gained upon us so much as to be within cannon 
range, they gave us occasional shots from the bow or gun- 
wale of the ship, though without nmch injur)- to our ship 
or crew. One of these shots, however, took off both legs, 
close to the body, of a man who stood next to me, on my 
left hand, and at the same instant a splinter from the side 
of the vessel struck my foot and benumbed my whole leg, 
from which I suft'ered much. The fleet neared us, and it 
being satisfactorily determined that it was a British fleet of 



10 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

fourteen sliips. fwe of which \vere lars^'er tlian our own, and 
all hope of escape being abandoned, we concluded to sur- 
render. A\'e were di\ided camong the ships of the enemy, 
being about twent}' [persons to each. We were well treated 
\vhile in this situation. 1 he fleet directed its course to New 
York City, where we were all put on board the 'Old Jersey,' 
the notorious I>ritish prison ship, then lying up East River, 
abo\'e the City, and entirel}' without rigging. 

We had been cruising aljout three months when we were 
captured. Our sufferings while confined in this old hull of a 
ship were unaccountably severe, and many of our number 
perished on account of the stench, the damp, deathly atmos- 
phere in which we were confined and the miserable food 
which was furnished us to support life. 

It may not be uninteresting to know of what our fare 
consisted and what humanity is capable of enduring, when 
controlled b}' the force of necessity. The account is brief, 
but heart-sickening. Bread was a constant part of our ration 
and the chief source of our nutriment. It came to our 
hands in an}- but a palatable condition. The loaves were 
badly eaten by insects and then abandoned b}' them, or 
well inhabited by vermin on their reception bv us. W hat 
was not in this condition was very full, I had almost said 
literally ali\e, with insects, insomuch that it was inij^ossible 
for us to get them all out, and we were obliged to dexour 
these animated communities, these bee-hives of activity, 
or to lie reduced to the utmost wretchedness and starvation. 
Besides our bread, we had pease twice a week. Wdien the 
day came in which we were to ha\e boiled pease, the stew- 
ard would put about two bushels into a large kettle with a 
f|u<antity of water and boil them. I ha\'e stood bv the side 
of this kettle while its cmtents were becoming heated, and 
have seen yellow worms rise to the siu'face in large (|uanti- 
ties, and as the water became heated, they would gather in 
large clusters, affording the only seasoning or condiment 
to our repast. 

During the latter ])<'n"t of the time of m\- imprisonment, 
I had the smallijox, but began to recover before arrange- 



ROBINSON FAMILY. U 

nients were made for mir exchange. 1 was a prisoner 
aboard the 'Old jerse)' about six months. A\'e w^ere ex- 
changed, crmve^ed, and set off. some time in Decem1)er. 
on the coast of Rhode Island. I remember this fact in rela- 
tion to time from this circumstance, that it was Thanks- 
giving time, and the lirst of sleighing. I was not well when 
1 was set off, not having entirel)' reco\'ered from the small- 
pox. I could n(3t w'alk more than five or six miles per 
diem. Occasionally T had an opportunity to ride a few 
miles. 

When coming through the streets of Providence on a 
cold, stormy day, with nothing to protect my feet from the 
snow, ice and water which then filled them, but some old 
scuffs, that were not worthy the name of shoes, a gentleiuan, 
observing my condition, hailed me and inquired the cause 
of ni)- destitution, whence I came and whither 1 was going. 
I told him briefi}- what circuiustances had l)rought me to 
this condition. He assured me that my shoes were good for 
nothing, and directed me to go into a small grocery or 
huckster shop near b}-, and remain there until he should 
return with somt^ shoes for me. I entered as he directed, 
and there found six or eight young men lounging or appa- 
rently w'ithout any Ijusiness. They gazed upon me some- 
what intientl}', noticed my ragged and tattered garments, 
and soon 1)egan to manifest no little interest to know what 
had subjected me to so forlorn and destitute a condition. 

To them also I narrated some of the leading incidents of 
luy life. Excited by pity at seeing me so ragged, shoeless 
and shivering with cold, they gaAC me a 'bitter,' a little 
luncheon and contributed about a dollar in money to pro- 
cure me food when I could not beg, or might be turned 
away wdthout alms. At this point of my interview with the 
young men, the ()ld gentleman before mentioned returned 
with a pair of shoes, a pair of socks and some Ijread and 
cheese, all which he presented to me, accompanied by the 
most cheering language, and expressing a strong hope that 
I might be sustained and prospered in the remainder of my 



12 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

jduniev, we i)arte(l. I felt encouraged and renewed my 
j()iirne\- with a more elastic step and a lighter heart. 

1 commonly stopped at houses such as ^ave evidence of 
thrift and wealth, being" less likely to be turned away from 
such places than from the beggarly, pof)r appearing homes. 
I was obliged to beg my food and shelter nearly the whole of 
the way. I recollect calling at one house, a kind of tavern 
or 'way house.' at night, for the purpose of getting shelter 
for the night. 1 went into the kitchen and made knowm my 
poverty to the landlady, and asked that she would permit me 
to lodge upon the floor by the fire. She told me she thought 
I might be thus accommodated, though her husband was 
then absent and might on his return be unwilling I should 
remain. He came late in the evening", had apparently been 
drinking and was very cross. He asked me what I was 
there for, and told me he would not have me in his house. 
Said he: 'You have the smallpox, you must leave, you can- 
not remain here.' I entreated him not to drive me from his 
house, leaving me at that hour of the night to the mercy of 
the cold, bleak Avinds of December. But my appeal was in 
vain. Finally, however, at my earnest solicitation, he gave 
me permission to lie in his horse-barn, and thus I passed the 
night. His allusion to my having the smallpox was because 
it was plain to be perceived, on account of want and much 
exposure to cold, that I recently had had that disease, though 
at that time tliere was no danger to be apprehended from it. 
However, it served as a pretext for driving me from his 
house. One man carried me several miles on my j(^urney, 
and generally I was treated very well. 

I remained at home, being in poor health, through the 
three winter ukmUIis. and then entered the military service in 
the Revolution. earl\- in the spring of 1782. I enlisted for 
the town of AL'dden for three years, under Capt. Wait. 
Before entering the ranks in the field, I went to Boston and 
served as waiter to Lieut. Thomas Robinson, who was clerk 
to the muster-master. I remained here three or four weeks, 
when I went with twenty-fiA'e or thirtv others to near West 
Point, on the Hudson River, and joined the loth Massachu- 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 13 

setts Regiment. Tlie loth wore British coats and was com- 
manded by Col. Tnpper. I was in Capt. Dix's company. 
We went to Verplank Point, lay there some time, then went 
to Morrison, or a ])lace of some snch name, and remained 
about a nKMith. Soon after the 9th and loth regiments 
broke up, and I entered the 5th regiment, commanded by 
Col. Michael Jackson, under Capt. Cogswell. A Grenadier 
company was formed of the tallest and stoutest men. I 
had the ofl'er to join, Init did not, and was obliged to join 
another company. The ( irenadier com[)any was formed at 
Newburgh Huts and remained there until after the news of 
peace. 

When the news of peace came, our huts or camp were 
knee deep in snow, but we celebrated the event with raising 
of tiags and with g-uns and music. Then all regiments broke 
up, and one was formed called the American Regiment of 
young men, consisting of six or seven hundred, under Col. 
Henry Jackson. I was assigned to Capt. Williams' com- 
pany, my term of enlistment not ha\'ing expired, and we 
remained at Newburgh Huts till winter, and was then 
ordered to Old Springfield, Mass. Capt. Williams" com- 
pany numbered about sixty. I remained at Springfield 
till I got my discharge, which was the last of June or first of 
July, 1784. The \vhole company were discharged at the 
same time. My discharge was made out in New^ York, and 
was signed by Col. Henry Jackson.' 

After thus serving over two vears in the Revolutionarv 
army, young Robinson returned, with his brothers, to his 
native home in Lexington. Here he remained in honest 
toil, till the spring of 1788, when he removed and settled at 
South Reading, as above stated. 

The hardships of his service during' the Revolutionary 
war, and the fact that he was early in life left an orphan 
and had to labor hard for his own li\-elihood, schooled him 
well for the hardships of his early settlement in this town. 
W'hat to most men would seem insurmountable obstacles, 
were often easil}' encountered by him and regarded as trivial. 
It was a favorite remark of his that, if vou wished to ac- 



14 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

complish anything- difficult or laborious, you should always 
say. 'Come, boys.' and not '(io. boys.' He believed that 
success in anv calline' of life consisted mainl\- in a "ood, 
vigorous, personal leadership of the persons to be l)enefited. 

Here on his productive, well-tilled farm he spent a long^ 
life of usefulness and acti\it}" and reared a large famih- of 
children, and like man}' of those old re\'olutionar\- pension- 
ers, he was in his old age healtln- and heartv, re- 
markably vigorous both in mind and l)od\-, e\"en to his last 
brief sickness. Long will his grandchildren remember those 
grand old Thanksgiving days, and the good cheer and the 
jolly times enjoyed around his festive taljle and cheerful 
fireside on these anniversary days. A few years before his 
death, after a residence in this town of nearly seventy years, 
he again re-\'isited the scenes of his childhood in Lexington. 
It was a \isit of sad and lonely interest to him. Of all hi.s 
former large circle of early relatives, friends and actpiaint- 
ances, he found onl)' two sur\-ivors and the\' were much 
broken down with age. \'et his \'isit to those places of 
historical and local interest, he seemed to enjoy with peculiar 
zest. 

His death occurred on the 31st day of Octol)er, 1857, at 
the age of nearly ninety-three years. Less than two weeks 
before his death, he related in detail the above history to the 
Avriter of this sketch and recounted, with wonderful memory 
and great animation and zeal, the various \icissitudes and 
hardships of his long life. 

His veneration for Washington, the father of our coun- 
try was \'ery great, and it was ever his ])ri(le that he was 
once a member <)f a compan}- that temporarily acted as a 
body guard to their noble commander. 

It was one of his latest remarks, that during the sixty- 
six \-ears he had li\-cd with the wife of his choice, in that 
house and upon that farm, he had li\ed in contentment and 
happiness, and had ncx'er wished to cliange his lot for that 
of any other, nor his home for that which an_\- other country 
or clime could afford. He seemed happ_\- in the society of 
his numerous posterity and had the satisfaction of seeing 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 15 

them generallv prosijcrous. He had Httle or no education 
in early hfe except that acquired in the army and In' his 
later experience, yet in his old age he could cast up the 
amount due on promissory notes given at annual interest, 
with difficult partial payments endorsed thereon, and make a 
written statement of the same, with an accuracy and dis- 
patch that might well ])ut to shame many of the liherally edu- 
cated young men of the present day. He learned to write 
while in the Continental army, hy copying the hallads and 
camp-songs of the soldiers in copy hooks, one of which is 
now in the possession of. and highly prized hy the writer of 
this sketch. 

As a citizen, he was always upright and exact in all hi? 
dealings, and dignified, though generous and cordial in his 
intercourse. He was never an office-seeking politician, hut 
held manv positions of honor and trust, hoth civil and mili- 
tary, and always proved himself worthy of the confidence 
reposed in him, and was honored by his townsmen in ])osi- 
tions of trust in many ways. He w^as public spirited and a 
patron of noble enterprise. The bell in the steeple of the 
church at South Reading was his gift to the people of that 
village. He was ever a stern lover of justice. He remarked 
to the writer, at his last interview with him, that he had 
made it a principle during his life, 'ever to do right' and to 
cause right to be done. He was a devoted patriot and had 
personallv attended the polls of cz'cry Presidential election 
up to the time of his death, casting his last ballot for Fre- 
mont in 1856. 

Thus have passed away these Revolutionary ixitriots. 
None remain to testify of their early hardships and strug- 
gles for Freedom. Through their labors and sufferings we 
inherit this, our fair land, and these, our free institutions. 

Trulv do their memory and their courage deserve our 
highest veneration and respect, and if thus their memories 
are revered by their posterity, they will not, of necessity, 
need anv loftv monuments or deeply wrought inscription to 
tell us of their noble deeds, their devoted patriotism and true 
greatness. However lowly may be their resting-place, let 



16 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

these tri1)utes ever l^e ascril:)ed to their memories witli urate- 
fill hearts. Ahay it tnil_\- 1)e said of them, that: — 

'the joy 
Willi wliicli tlicir children ircad the hallowed ground 
That holds their venerated bones, the peace 
That smiles on all they fought for. and the Avealth 
That clothes the land they received. — these, though mute 
As feeling ever is, when deepest — these 
Are monuments more lasting than the tombs 
Reared to the kings and denii-gods of old.' '" 

The wife uf Ebenezer Robinson was Hannah Ackley, (jf 
whom not so many facts are known to her descendants. She 
was born Dec. 22, 1771, at East Haddam, Ct.. and when a 
girl of twenty-one, in her father's new home, near Sontli 
Reading-, on Nov. 18, 1792, she married her young hus- 
band, a httle over four years okler than herself, and went 
with him to his hillside farm. 

She is remembered jjy her grand-children as a quiet, 
serene, cheery old lady who made an ideal grandmother at 
their Thanksgiving, and other festive occasions. Her hus- 
band left :\ hue tribute to her memorw when he said that he 
had lived sixty-six years in contentment and happiness with 
the wife of his choice and had never wished to change his 
lot for that of any other. She died Feb. lOth, 1858, sur- 
viving her husband not quite four months. 

*Cliildrrii: Lewis Robinson, b. Aug. loth, 1793; d. Nov. i6th. 1871. 

C.'^LViN Robinson, I). Jan. 10, 1798; d. March 28, 
1819. 

Jonas Robinson, b. Dec. 15th, 1794: d. Dec. .31st, 1794. 

Marvin Robinson, b. March 24th. 1800; d. Dec. 22nd, 
1866. 

Ebenezer Robinson, b. Sept. .loth, 1809; d. July 5, 1848. 

Rhoda Robinson, b. Feb. 8tli, 1796 (never married); 
d. Oct. 21 St, 1873. 

Sali.y Towin Robinson, b. Sept. 19th. 1802; d. Oct. 6, 
1816. 

Hannah Robinsox. b. Jan. 20th 1805 (never married) ; 
d. April 19th. 1873. 

Eliza Robinson, b. May 20th, 1807: d. Dec. 13th, i860; 
m. Washington Keyes, Sept. 29, 1831. 

*The dates concerning the immediate family of Ebenezer Robinson are taken 
from the old family I'.ible. inherited by the oldest son of the oldest son, and now 
in the possession of Mrs. C'al%in L. Robinson. Tacksonville, Florida. 



CHAPTER II. 

WILLIAM ROBINSON, OF NEWTON. 

Tlie Earliest Knoivn Direct Ancestor of Ehene::er 

Robinson. 

Shrouded in the mists of the far past, it has been diffi- 
cult to obtain any certain knowledge of the personality of 
"William of Newton," sometimes called "William of Water- 
town." The few facts here cited have been obtained with 
more difficulty than all contained in the remainder of this 
little book. There is no record of the birth of William Rob- 
inson in Massachusetts Colony. There is one tradition that 
he came from Bristol, England, which could easily arise if 
he sailed from that port, but the tradition of the family of 
Ebenezer Robinson is that he came from the north of Eng- 
land. It is probable that he was born about 1640, and mar- 
ried in this country about 1667, Elizabeth Cutter (b. 
July 15, 1643), ^ daughter of Richard Cutter, a well 
known freeman of Cambridge. In the records William 
Robinson is styled sometimes "of Watertown," sometimes 
"of Cambridge" and sometimes "of Newton." This con- 
fusion is not difficult to understand when the uncertain 
boundaries of the early towns are kept in mind. 

Watertown is the oldest of these towns. As early as 
Sept. 7, 1630. less than ten years after the landing of the 
Pilgrims, "The Court ordered that the town upon the Charles 
River be called Watertown." It was the fourth town 
formed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and next to Dor- 
chester was the earliest to keep formal records. f When 
Cambridge was formed, part of Watertown was given to it, 
and William Robinson lived in that part of Cambridge called 

f 'Watertown Records, prepared for publication by the Historical Society, 
Watertown, 1894." 

17 



18 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Cambridge \"illag"e. which afterward became Newton. His 
farm lay along- the south bank of the Charles River, separ- 
ated by it from the A\'atertown of his time. 

All three towns. W'atertown, Cambridge, and Xewton, 
have records more or less complete of William Robinson 
and his family. Evidently he was a freeman of Cambridge 
Village, which later became Xe^^•ton, so we prefer to call 
him "William of Newton.'':!: 

The inhabitants of Cambridge Village on the south side 
of the river, as early as 1654, began a movement to separate 
from Cambridge, and for thirty-five years the struggle did 
not cease until they obtained what they wanted. Finally 
fifty-two freemen of Cambridge Village petitioned the Gen- 
eral Court (commencing ]>klay 8, 1678) "to grant us our 
freedom from Caml:)ridge and that we may be a township 
of ourselves without any more dependence upon Cambridge 
— and that you would please give the place a name.'"" 

This petition ccjmmonly called "The Petition of Seces- 
sion," was granted, Cambridge Village was set off from 
Cambridge, and later was christened Newtown, taking the 
former name of Cambridge. William Ixobinson was the 
eleventh name of the fift}'-two sturdy signers of the Peti- 
tion. At that time there were sixty-five freemen in Cam- 
bridge Village. 

To become a freeman in those earl}- days was deemed by 
the fathers a boon greatly to be desired. If their descend- 
ants had guarded the sacred rights of citizenship as carefully 
through the years as did they, the present days of the Re- 
])ublic would not ])resent so man\' ])rol)lems. To [jrocure 
this pri\'ilege, a man had first to be or to become a member 
of the church ; then he must obtain permissic^n to liecome a 
fieeman from the General or Quarterly Court, after which 
the freeman's oath was taken bef(!re a magistrate. A note of 
the cercniiin\- was then carcfull}- entered in the town record. 

"The Records of the Town of Cambridge, (formerly 

iSmith's Hist, of Newton, p. 41, gives the names of the settlers of the town, 
previous to 1700, and William Robinson is marked "1(579." 
*Jackson's History of Newton, p. CO. 
*History of Cambridge, by L. R. Paige, Cambridge, 1877, p. 89. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 19 

Newtowne) 1630- 1703, printed by order of the City Coun- 
cil, 1901," does not once mention William Robinson who, 
as we have learned, lived at Cambridge Village away from 
the central ])art of Cambridge. He seems to have been a 
C|uiet. peaceal)le, law-abiding citizen, and the signing of the 
''Petition of Secession" is the only publicly assertive act of 
W'illiam Rdbinson, so far as history can prove. 

His father-in-law. Richard Cutter, was of quite another 
stamp. He was admitted freeman June 2, 1641, and was 
made a member of the "Ancient and Honorable Artillery 
Co." of Boston in 1643. ^^ l''^ "Town Records of Cambridge" 
mention Richard Cutter thirty-eight times for various rea- 
sons. He seems to have been a wheel-wright by trade, as 
one of the entries state that the town grants timber to Rich- 
ard Cutter for a "payre of wheeles." Again he is granted 
permission to fell "foure trees for his trade on the South 
side the river." Again a grant of land was divided among 
the freemen and Richard Cutter receives eighty acres. 

Richard Cutter was also a signer of the petition pre- 
■sented October 19. i6f)4. to the honored General Court of 
Massachusetts, which while assuming loyalty, manifested the 
same unwillingness to submit to arbitrary government that 
was exhibited a hundred years later. Evidently he was an 
active man of affairs. The first wife of Richard Cutter was 
Elizabeth Williams, some facts about whom are worthy of 
preservation for her descendants. She was the daughter 
of Robert A\'illiams and Elizabeth (Stalham) Williams and 
was born in England about 1626. Robert Williams was 
born about 1607. The record of William Williams of Hat- 
field, England, says that the emljarkation records reads : 
"April 8, 1637, Robert Williams, Cordwyner ( Cordwainer 
— i. e., shoemaker) of Norwich Co.. Norfolk. England, in 
the 'John and Dorothv' of Ipswich, William Andrews, Mas- 
ter. For New England to Inhabit." 

Robert Williams settled in Roxbury, was admitted free- 
man in 1638, and died Sept. i, 1693, at 86 years of age. He 
was the common ancestor of many distinguished men who 
liave honored the countrv. He had a son named Isaac (born 



20 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Sept. I, 1638), who owned a farm of 500 acres in the west 
part of Newton (now Aubnrnclale), near the farm of Will- 
iam Robinson. He also had a son named Stephen, born Nov. 
28, 1640. 

Elizabeth Williams was daughter of Robert Williams, 
and great grandmother of Ebenezer Robinson. 

She was admitted to the church in Roxbury in 1644 and 
married about the same time to Richard Cutter, of Cam- 
bridge, and died June 15, 1693. In his will Richard Cutter 
asked to be buried by the side of his wife Elizabeth. Their 
gravestones are still standing in the graveyard, near Harvard 
Square. Cambridge. ]\Iass. Of such good ancestry came 
their eldest daughter. Elizabeth Cutter, born July 13, 1645, 
who became the wife of \\'illiam Robinson as early as 1667.* 

The Middlesex (Mass.) Probate records give us the only 
glimpses we have into the life and character of Wm. Robin- 
son. He made a will dated March 22. 1693. the will being 
made and witnessed on his death-bed, in which he bequeathes 
all his "estate lands, goods and Chatties here in Watertown 
to my dafter Elizabeth," and states that "my two children 
David and Jonathan shall have their maintenance and be 
carefully brought up by my dafter." In this will Wm. Rob- 
inson, twenty-one years of age, Mary Robinson, about 
twenty years of age, and Samuel Robinson, about fifteen 
years old, w^ere left w'ithout mention. David, then seven- 
teen years old, was lame and helpless, and Johnathan was 
thirteen years of age. This will was presented for probate 
June 26, 1693, ^^'^^t was disallowed on account of informality. 
The probate records state that it was probated later, Nov. 
21, 1698. 

Evidently Wm. Robinson, Jr., the oldest son was not 

*XoTE — The identity of the wife of William Robinson has occasioned con- 
siderable search to verify the fact that she was Elizabeth Cutter. Richard 
Cutter was married twice; first as we have seen to Elizabeth Williams. He mar- 
ried as his second wife, Frances Perriman, widow of Isaac Amsden, Feb. 14, 
IfiO.'i, who survived him. Each wife was the mother of seven children. We 
find by the records in those early days that in case of a second marriage it was not 
unusual to have two children by the same name, one by each wife. So Richard 
Cutter was the father of Elizabeth Cutter, b. July 15, 1045, who became the 
w'ife of William Robinson, of Newton, and the eleventh child, Elizabeth Cutter, 
b. March 1, 1GG9, who became the wife of Nathaniel Hall, of Medford. 

The Middlesex (Mass.) Probate Records make these facts plain. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 21 



satisfied with the will, and had himself appointed adminis- 
trator Oct. 21. 1695. and he swears to the inventory of the 
estate as here given. 

"This is an inventory oi the whole esteat of william Robeson of 
watertwin in the county of midlesex taken this 14 of August 1695 
and apprised by us the subscribers 

huse and Lands and orchid 30. o. o. 

for worcking touiles of Iron i. 12. 6. 

for beden and all things argrabell to it 2. 01. 6. 

and for ould lumber o. 6. o. 
and for Jron and brass poute and 

citelles 2. o. 6. 

and tabels chistes and weeles i. 8. 0. 

and for tobes and braller o. 7. o. 

and for puter and wooden dishses i. 2. 6. 

and for gunn and arnies I. o. o. 

and for books o. 10. o. 

and for one hoge i. o. 0. 

and for money 2. 0. o. 



43. 17. 0. 



Apprised the day and yer abouesayed By us 

Mickell fflagge and 
Samuel Bigelo." 

That Wm. Robinson wanted to shield himself from 
unjust judgment on the part of his older children and his 
friends is shown by the following entry : 

"Charlestowne, Nouembr 21: 1698. 
Thomas, Woolson and Frances Fullam, the two witnesses, 
swear, 'which was ommitted by ye scribe being in haste and for- 
getting to enter ye same according to his Deced's Direction in 
ye will and that then ye said Wm. Robinson when he so did was 
of good understanding and of disposing minde, then declaring it 
his omission of his other children in sd will was not for want of 
afifection to ym, but only out of his undue Care for ye providing 
for his lame childe and also ye youngest that was not Capable of 
help it Selfe and yt Goodwife Sanders, Elizabeth Stimpson & other 
women were in and about ye house till said will was makeing and 
read to ye deacese and to his full Conteent and Satisfaction 

Jurator Cora 

JAS RUSSELL" 



22 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

The division of the estate : 

"9 May 1698. Isaac Williams Phillip Shattuck and Abraham Brown 
Com^ appointed hy the court return division of the Robinson estate, viz.: 

"The housing and fences being now out of repaior and Sum 
of ye land worne out and the moueables being worne and sum of 
them loste in consideration of the Land being A Small parcel and 
not capable of being deuided witlmut ye damnif^'ing: and Spoileing 
of 3'e whole, whereupon the eldest son of the abousesd william 
Robeson, deceast, claiming his birth-right which the law of this 
province alowes, he haueing alredy taken administration on said 
Estate, we order william Robeson eldest son of William Robeson 
decease to take the at one mentioned twelue acres of land and 
houseing and all that properly beiongeth thereto and also all 
ye moueables, and after all just debts are paid and necessary 
charges alowed the remainder to be divided into seven ecjual parts, 
and that the eldest son pays to each (if his brethren and sisters 
their propertion. reseruing to himself his duble portion, according 
to the direction of the law. 22:8:98 considered of. allowed and 
entered." 

As is seen, at the time of \\'il]iam Robinson's death he 
possessed only twelve acres of land, but his thrifty son Will- 
iam must have added to it, as on the map of Newton for 
1700 (see map) the Robinson farm is given as 200 acres. 

The above are the sole records that touch directly upon 
the life and character of "\\'illiam of Newton." There are, 
however, in the Middlesex (Mass.) Deeds, many identifying 
references. Abstracts Vol. XXXIII: MUX (Mass.) Deeds, 
p. T13, 'AA'ilham Robinson of Newton, and Jonathan Rob- 
inson f)f Lexington acknowledge all rights, etc., in the estate 
of their honored grandfather. Richard Cutter, sometime of 
Cambridge, deceased." "William Robinson engages to dis- 
charge the claim of his sister, Elizabeth Gregory, a grand- 
daughter and heir to the same." 8 Jan.. 1726. 

P. Ti(S, "Samuel Robinson of Marlboro, as heir to his 
father, William Robinson, dec'd, and his mother, Elizabeth 
Robinson, alias Cutter, quitclaims all interest, etc., in the 
estate of his grandfather, Richard Cutter, formerly of Cam- 
bridge, deceased. 20 Jul. 1728." 

Are we not justified in inferring from the above facts 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 23 

certain qualities of Wm. Robinson? He evidently nuist have 
had enterprise and courage, as a young man, to seek his for- 
tunes in the New \A'orld. He must also have had substan- 
tial good qualities of character to secure as a wife Elizabeth 
Cutter, the granddaughter of Robert Williams, the daughter 
of Richard Cutter, and niece of Isaac Williams, all well 
known and respected citizens. He was a good and loving 
father, taking especial pains to have his older children under- 
stand why he made exclusive provision for the vounger 
helpless ones. 

Those early days of the Colony were filled with hard 
work and privation. The settlers had to endure the rigors 
of a severe climate, work hard to subdue the land and strug- 
gle to maintain their local and general political rights. 

William Robinson must have died about sixtv ^•ears of 
age, after a life of toil and struggle. leaving a small estate, 
but he reared a family of children, who were sensible, able 
men and women, and, with the exception of the lame son 
David, they \\ere able to take their part in the world's work. 
William, who remained in Newton, Samuel, who removed 
to Cambridge, and Jonathan, who settled in Lexington, 
were all founders of families who have provided good citi- 
zens and practical men of affairs, and quite often dis- 
tinguished leaders for the communitv. 



CHAPTER III. 

WILLIAM ROBINSON'S CHILDREN. 

The children of William and Elizabeth Cutter Robinson 
were as follows : * 

1. Elizabeth^ b. 1669; m. Dec. 20, 1693, Daniel IMaggrigge of 

Watertown. 

2. Haxnah Ann, b. July 13, 1671 ; d. Oct. 5, 1672. 

3. William, b. July 10, 1673. 

4. AIekcv. b. Aug. 7, 1676. 

5. David, b. May 2^,. 1678. "Lame and helpless." 

6. Samuel, b. April 20, 1680. 

7. Jonathan, b. April 20, 1682. 

All the children except Hannah were living at the 
time of William Robinson's death, but evidently his wife 
had pre\i()nsly died, as we see from his will, that his sole 
reliance for the care of the two helpless children was "my 
dafter Elizabeth," the oldest child, then a young woman of 
twenty-six years. Her father died in March, and the records 
show that the following December she married "Daniel 
Maggrigge of Watertown." The name Maggrigge was 
evidently a corruption of McGregor, and later generations 
have adopted Gregory. 

David, "lame and helpless," a boy of fifteen, continued 
to live with his sister for four years, until April 9, 1697, 
when from the "Watertown Records," Vol. H, pp. 114 and 
121, we learn that he lived for a time with Samuel Begelo, 
and then Joseph Eovewels. He remained single. There are 
no further records concerning him, and as his brothers be- 
came more prosperous, it is probable that they assumed his 
entire care. 

*The record of the children of William and Elizabeth Robinson is best 
preserved in Hist, of Cambridge, L. R. Paige, p. 644. 

24 




SECTION OF PLAN 



OF THE 



TOWN OF NEWTON 

i?^ 1700 

Showing Farm of William Robinson, now a part of Auburndale. 



Taken from a map in the History of 
the Early Settlement of Newton, Mass., 
by Francis Jackson, 1854. 



Scale, ijo Rods to an Inch. 



26 HISTORICAL SKETCH 



William Robinson. Jr.. third child and oldest son of 
"William of Xewton." evidently remained (in his father's 
farm, and added to it. We have seen that he applied to have 
his father's will set aside and insisted on his right as the 
oldest son to have a "dnble portion." which was granted him. 

The estate was divided Alay 9, 1698. and the land is men- 
tioned as twelve acres. But the Robinson Farm marked on 
the plan of the town of Newton in 1700 ( see map) gives 200 
acres to the Robinson farm. Smith's His. of Xewton has 
some paragraphs relating to this farm, which we will here 
quote. 

"A survey of the map of 1700 furnishes a good view of the 
division of the territory of Newton among the early proprietors. 
and of the relative location of their estates." Page 115. 

"Southwest of the Fuller farm was Captain Isaac Williams 
(1659), five hundred acres. All the names in this trace of land, 
in the map of 1700, were on the easterly side. Isaac Williams, 
Jr. 1686); John Knapp (1688); Captain Isaac Williams (1861),— suc- 
cessors, Colonel Ephraim Williams (1714), (founder of Williams Col- 
lege). Page 118. 

"Southwest of Captain Isaac Williams was the Robinson farm 
about two hundred acres, covering the territory since called Au- 
burndale, and extending to Charles River. On this territory stood 
Nathaniel Whittemore's tavern (1724), the Bourne House, at the 
southeast ])art; then Jnhn Pigeon, Henry Pigeon, Joel Houghton, 
north of the tavern; near the middle. William Upham (1740), 
Elisha Seaverns. Elisha Ware; near the northeast part. William 

Robinson (1678) . successors. William Robinson. Jr. (1705), 

John Robinson (1753), Jonathan Williams (1767), Elisha Hall, M. 
Collier." Page 118. 

Evidently William Robinson. Jr., had the gift of ac- 
quisition, and became a man of substance, judged l)y the 
standards of his age. 

"Robin.son, William ( d. 1754) hy will, dated Dec. 25th. 1742. 
proved March 11. 1754, bequeathed house, barn, and seventy- 
nine acres of land in Newton to his son Jeremiah; fifty-eight and 
a half acres to his son John; to son Ichabod £660. He had a 
large farm at what is now .^uburndale, and land in .Mendon. One 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 27 



of his sons lived on the site of the Seaverns house; one in the 
Bourne house, once a tavern, and one in the house enlarged for 
the former Newton Poor House. His real estate was appraised 
at £~22\-^sh. Personal, £ioi4-i7sh.-6d." f 

W illiam Robinson, Jr., was a selectman of Newton for 
the year 1735. and that he was a man of consideration in 
the community is manifest. His wife (hed in 1747, and he 
(hed in 1754, at 81 years of age. 

Their children are as follow^s : 

William. 

Daniel, m. Mercy Seger, 1726. 

Jeremiah, h. Oct. 22, 1705; d. 1754. 

Elizabeth, b. Sept. 11, 1707, m. Wm. Uphani from Maiden, March, 

1741- 
Hannah, b. Sept. 16, 1709. 
Josiah, b. Sept. 17, 1711. 
Ichabod, b. Sept. 2, 1713, m. Sarah Mirick, Feb., 1744, went to 
Mendon and died 1756. 
Thankful, b. Sept. 3, 171 5. 
John, b. 1722. 

Samuel, the sixth child of William Robinson, had a note- 
worthy line of descendants. He, himself, must have been a 
capable, energetic man, for in 1707, when he was 27 vears 
of age, he bought a house and three-quarters of an acre at 
the S, \\\ corner of Battle Square and Brattle Street, in 
Cambridge, where he kept a tavern until June 13, 1721, 
when he sold his estate and moved to Westborough, where 
he died. Administration was granted to his wife Elizabeth, 
April 24, 1724, and her In-other, Jedekiah Brigham, was 
appointed guardian to the only son, Samuel, then in his 19th 
year, Feb. 2^. 1725. The name of Samuel Robinson is 
enrolled among the inn-keepers of Cambridge, as having 
received a license from 17 14- 1720,* 

His son Samuel, the only one who survived him, was 
brought up in the bus}-, Inistling life of his father's tavern. 
Noting- how prominent, and aggressive, and public-spir- 

tHist. of Newton Mass. S. F. Smith, D. D., Boston, 1880, 
*Hist. of Newton, p. 4(11. Jackson 



28 HISTORICAL SKETCH 



ited was Samuel Rol)ins()n, J''-, we recognize the broaden- 
ing, stimulating etTect of his environment, which must have 
early made him familiar with the prominent men of his 
time and the events that were hapj^ening. 

Samuel Robinson, son of William Roljinson, was twice 
married; first m. Mar. 2t,, 1704. to Sarah Manning (b. 
Aug. 26, 1681, d. July 19, 1709), whose father was a man 
of means and a Representative.* 

Second, m. (^ct. 16, 171 1, to Elizabeth Brigham, daugh- 
ter of Capt. Samuel Brigham. of Marlborough. 

Children: Sarah, bap. July 22, 1705; died young. 
Samuel, b. April 4. 1707. 
Dorothy, b. April 19, 1709. 
Persis b. Sept. 7, 1712. 

Edmund, b. June 7, 1714, d. Nov. 25, 1716. 
Sarah, ]). Oct. 3, 1717. 

At his death in 1724 his only surviving son Samuel was 
then in his 19th year. Samuel Robinson, Jr., 1). .\pril 4, 
1707. m. May, 1732, Mercy Leonard, His children are 
recorded in Hardwick, Mass., and their names are as 
follows : 

Elizabeth, b. Dec. 24, 1733. 

Leonard, b. July 16, 1736. 

Samuel, b. Aug. 9, 1738. 

Moses, b. March 15, 1741, settled in Bennington, and vva.s the 
fir.st Colonel of Militia in Vermont, was first Chief Justice of the 
Supreme Court, Senator in Congress, and second Governor of the 
State. Received the honorary degree of A. M. at Yale College, 1789, 
and at Dartmouth College in 1790; died May 19, 1813. 

Paul, b. Dec. 17, 1743; d. 1754. 

Silas, h. March 17, 1746; Revolutionary soldier; d. at an advanced 
age at St. Albans, Vt. 

IMercv, b. Oct. 8, 1748; m. Colonel J. Safford. 

Sarah, b. Nov. 13, 1751: m. first Benj. Fay; 2d., Gen. H. Swift. 

David, b. Nov. 4, 1754; ni. three times, was in the Bennington 
Battle, afterward .\Iajor-Gencral of .Militia and U. S. Marshal for 
eight years, and sheriff for 22 years ; d. November, 1843. 

Jonathan, b. Aug. 24, 1756; was Chief Justice of the Supreme 

♦Note. — See the History of the Manning Family, by Wm. H. Manning^, Salem 
Press, 1902, Page 142. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 29 



Court, 1801-1807, and United States Senator. Received honorary degree 
of A. M. at Dartmouth College, and d. Nov. 3, 1819. 

Anna, b. Oct. 4, 1759: m. Isaac Webster. 

Samuel Robinson, the father of this large family, was a 
man of marked individuality and left his impress upon the 
men and events of his times. He removed to Hardwick in 
1735 and remained there until 1761. \\d'iile there he was 
selectman, assessor, town clerk and deacon. He was Captain 
of a military company in the old French war, and in 1748 
was stationed at Fort George. On his return to Massachu- 
setts by the Hoosac River route, he was attracted by the fer- 
tility of the countr}-, sd that later he induced a company of 
his associates to join him in purchasing a former grant of 
this territory, made by Governor Benning Wentworth of 
New Hampshire in honor of whoiu Bennington was named. 
In October, 1761, he, his family and friends removed to 
Bennington, where he became prominent politically and was 
appointed first Justice of the Peace. 

Mr. Robinson cast in his fortunes with the original set- 
tlers of the New Hampshire grants in the famous land grant 
controversy between New York and New Hampshire, in 
which New York claimed jurisdiction over the territory of 
Vermont. He was chosen as a bearer of a petition to King- 
George, signed by over a thousand settlers asking for relief 
against the New York patents. Sailing on Christmas Day, 
1766, after a six weeks' passage, he reached London, and 
succeeded in obtaining an order from the King, dated July 
24, 1767. prohibiting the Governor of New York, "upon 
pain of his Majesty's highest displeasure from making any 
further grants whatever of the lands in question until his 
Majesty's further pleasure should be known, concerning the 
same." Later, in October, he was seized with smallpox and 
died Oct. 2^, 1767, and was buried in London. 

Tlie family of Samuel Robinson has been prominent in 
the annals of Vermont* and has been described as 
follows : "The most remarkable among a number of 
Vermont families prolific of public usefulness — a family 



*Men of \'ermoiU, Transcriiit Pub. Co., 1894, p. 54. 



30 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

that has in the past century furnished two governors, two 
United States senators, six judges of one degree and an- 
other, the acknowledged leader of the Democratic party in 
the state in three different generations, and United States 
marshals, generals, colonels, state's attorneys, town clerks,, 
etc.. almost without number." 

Moses Robinson, second Governor of A'ermont. left six 
sons, the fourth of whom was Nathan, a lawyer who died at 
the age of forty. His son, John S. Robinson, the only Demo- 
cratic Governor of Vermont for more than half a centurv, 
was born at Bennington, Nov. lo, 1804. He graduated at 
\\'illiams College, became a lawyer and identified himself 
with the Democratic party, and was Governor for 1853- 1854. 
In i860 was Chairman of the Vermont delegation to the 
National Democratic Conventi(^n at Charleston, S. C, was 
stricken with apoplexy and died there the 24th of the month. 
He was a man of a hio"h order of talents. 



CHAPTER IV. 

JONATHAN ROBINSON. 

Jonathan Ivobinsim, the 3'uungest child of "Wilhani R<i1)i- 
son of Newton," was born April 20. 1682. His father's will, 
made npon his death bed, dated March 22, 1693, becjueathed 
all his estate to "my dafter, Elizabeth Robinson," with the 
provision that my two children, David, "fifteen years old, 
lame and helpless," and Jonathan, shall have their mainte- 
nance and be carefully brought up by my dafter. The father's 
heart went out tenderly to his helpless child, and to his dear- 
ly-loved youngest boy, left in the world without a parent's 
care. Jonathan must have continued to live with his sister 
until May 16, 1698, when, according to the record made in 
the Middlesex (Mass.) Probate records, "Jonathan Robin- 
son, a minor of 16 years, made choice of Nath'll Sparrow- 
hawk to be his guardian and he accepted." We find from 
the records that Jonathan Robinson was a weaver. We 
know also that Lsaac Williams, his mother's uncle and a man 
of means and influence, lived on the farm adjoining that of 
his father and he, by trade, was a weaver. We can infer 
that Jonathan learned his trade from his uncle. He must 
ha\-e been industrious, energetic and saving, for he both 
married and purchased his farm in Lexington at the early 
age of twenty-four. 

The wife of Jonathan Robinson was Ruth Morse, a few 
words regarding whom must be of interest to her descend- 
ants. She was born April 15. 1684, and was the daughter 
of Jonathan Morse, born Nov. 16. 1643, who married Oct. 
17, 1678, Abigail Shattuck.* Jonathan Morse was the 
fourth son of Joseph Morse, who, when he was twent}'-four 
years of age, embarked at Ipswich, England, April, 1634, in 
the ship "EUzabctli," William Andrews master. Joseph 

*History of Watertown, Henry Bond, p. 371 (Genealogies). 

31 



32 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Morse was one of the original proprietors of W'atertown. 
His name is on the earhest Hst of proprietors, and he was ad- 
mitted freeman May 6, 1635. His father and mother, Joseph 
and Dchorah Ah)rse. came to America prol^ably a year or two 
later than their son and settled at W'atertown. Joseph Morse 
died March 4. 1691, and his estate was administered hy his 
son John. It was from this substantial and respected family 
that Jonathan Robinson married his wife of twent\--two 
years, June 19, 1706. 

Jonathan at once proceeded to make a suital)le home f(jr 
his young wife and ])urchased a farm in Cambridge Farms 
(now Lexington), which is still in the possession of his de- 
scendants. "^'The deed is dated Oct. 11. 1706. Hudson in his 
History of Lexington, p. 203, says : "It appears by a deed in 
possession of the family, that Lsaac Powers, of Cambridge, 
sold to Jonathan Robinson, of Cambridge, wea\'er, in 1706, 
a lot of land at Cambridge Farms, bounded northerly by 
Concord road, easterly by land of Joanna Winship, south- 
erly by land of John Dickson, and westerly ])X land of Jona- 
than Rc^jinson, bounded by the W'inships. Whitmores and 
Bowmans, leaves n(j doubt but that he resided on or near 
the place now occupied by Mr. Jonas Cammell, at the ter- 
mination of Oak Street." 

Cambridge Farms was a ])ortion of Camliridge. Lex- 
ington was then included in it, and this part of the town 
appears to have been regarded as the wood-lots and hay fields 
of Cambridge. Lexington was set aside and was organized 
into a town March 31. 1713, a few years after Jonathan Rob- 
inson settled there. 

From the reference in Hudson to "other deerls" it is pro1> 
able that Jonathan Robinson accunnilate<l some property and 
it is also probable that the house that Jonathan originally 
built had been replaced by the ample, well-built structure that 
stood on the hill seventy years later at the time of the Revo- 
lution. 

The jiresent possessor of the old farm homestead at Lex- 
ington, Mass., is iMr. Joseph Franklin (iammell, the only 

*History of Town of Lexington. Charles Umlson, Hoston, 188G. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 



33 



child of Franklin Ganimell, and the grandson of Rhoda Rob- 
inson, so that this farm has been in the possession of Jona- 
than Robinson's descendants nearly two hundred years. In 




Thk Site of the Rohinson Homestead on Top of the Hile 

AT Lexington, Mass. 

As viewed by two of the grandchildren of Ebenezer Robinson August 2, 1902. George 
O. Robinson of Detroit, Mich., and Mrs. Alden Speare of Newton, Mass. 



August, 1902. the writer, in company with two grandchildren 
of Ebenezer Robinson (viz., Mrs. Alden Speare, of Newton 
Centre. Mass., and Mr. George O. Robinson, of Detroit, 
Mich.), visited the site of the old house. Mrs. Speare said: 
"I visited here often in my girlhood days and I well remem- 
ber the old place. It must have been a fine house at the time 
it was built, and was kept in good repair until it was burned. 
The walls of some of the rooms were originally pannelled, so 
that one not familiar with the house could not tell where 
were the cupboards. 



34 



HISTORICAL SKETCH 



At the time the P)ritish soldiers came to Lexington this 
house was raided, antl a mark or dent was made on one of 
these panels where a soldier had struck it w ith his gun to see 
if there was a cuphoard behind it. In modernizing the hnish 
of this room that panel was preserved as a relic." 

Mr. (leorge (). Robinson said : "I well remember talking 
wi*h nn- grandfather, Ebenezer Robinson, al)out the earlv 




The L.A.NE Down Which Young Ebene/.er Robinson R.\n to 

Watch the British Soldiers Retreat from 

Lexington Batteeeield. 



days of the I\e\dlutionary war, and his telling me that as a 
bo\- he heard the guns of the I'attle of Lexington, and he 
used to describe how he ran down the lane leading from the 
f.arm house to Alain street, to see the British soldiers retreat- 
ing on the turnpike road to Boston." 

The Robinson hotise was located on a hill, reached b\- a 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 35 



lane ( the lower part of which is now known as Oak street in 
East Lexington), cHmbing upw-ard from Main street. The 
site commands a pleasant view of the snrronnding country. 
The house and all the adjoining buildings were burned in 
Alarch. 1886, and the cellar, only partially filled in, marks 
its site. Dou1)tless many records that w^ould have added 
much to this sketch perished with the place, as Mr. J. Frank- 
lin Gammell, the t^wner, states that the only valuable paper 
he possesses is the old deed of the farm dated Oct. 1 1, 1706. 
Hudson states that Jonathan Robinson filled the honor- 
able oftice of Tythingman in 1735. and in 1744 was on a 
committee "to dignify and seat the meeting house." He died 
in 1753 and his wife Ruth followed him April 25, 1759. His 
will, dated Feb. 2, 1748, was proved Feb. 18, 1758. 
The children of Jonathan and Ruth were as follows: 

Jonathan, I). July 25, 1707. (See beluw.) 
Ruth, b. June 29, 1709; d. Oct. 23, 1722. 

Abigah., 1). Fell. 4, 1711; baptized June 24, 1711; m. Nathaniel 
Bacon, of Lexington. 

James, b. Aug. 30, 1715; bap. Sept. 4. (See below.) 
Lydia, b. Aug. 29, 1718; bap. Sept. 7; m. Caleb Sinionds 
Hannah, b. Jan. 8, 1721 ; bap. Jan. 14: d. Oct. 24, 1721. 

SONS OF JONATHAN ROBINSON. 

In all the histories and books on geneology that I have 
consulted, it seems to 1)e the practice to follow the history 
of the sons who bear the family name. The history of the 
daughters is merged into that of their husbands, so that there 
is little to be learned concerning them. Following this pro- 
cedure let us learn what we can concerning the two sons of 
Jonathan Robinson, Jonathan, Jr., and James. Jonathan, the 
elder son, will chiefly be remembered as l)eing the great 
grandfather of Gov. George D. Robinson of ?^lassachusetts. 
The line of descent is as follows : 

JoN.\THAN Robinson, b. July 25, 1707: d. 174S; m. Elizabeth. 
Children: Elizabeth, m. June. 20. 1732. 

Jacob, b. Feb. 3, 1739. 

Jonathan, b. Sept. 29. 1733. 

Submit, bap. July 17, 1743. 



36 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Of these we will follow the line onl}- of Jacoh. the oldest 
son. who niaiTied Elizabeth Draper. They were added to 
the church March 21, 1775. 

Children- Jacob, b. Oct. 28. 1762; d. Sept. 12, 1S48. 

Elizabeth, b. ),Iarch 6. 1765: d. Dec. 29, 1767. 
Jesse, h. July 14. 1767: m. Rebecca Tidd. 
Jonathan, b. June 20, 1769. was twice married. 
Betty, b. Feb. 26, 1772: m. White, of Watertown. 
Anna, b. June 28, 1774; ni. Gardner, of Cambridge. 
Nathan, 1). Dec. i, 1776; d. Sept. 22, 1776. 

AA'e will again follow the line only of Jacob, the oldest 
son. who married Aug. 26. 1790, Hannah (Tufts) Simonds. 

Children: Jacob, b. April 24, 1791. 

Charles, b. ]\Iay 5, 1793; d. Sept. 24, 1801. 

Hannah, b. April 25, 1795; m. April 8, 1821, Charles 

Tufts, founder of Tufts College. 
John, b. April 30, 1797; d. Sept. 22, 1S91. 
George, b. Dec. 2, 1799; d. Sept. 22, 1801. 
Charles, b. Isiay 5, 1802: d. May 22, 1886. 
John, b. Aug. 19, 1804. 
Harriet, b. Nov. 6, 1806. 
AIary Ann. b. Feb. 2, 1812. 

Of these we will note only the descendants of the seventh 
child. Charles, whose second son became the governor of his 
state. 

Charles married Oct. 16. 1827. Mary Davis [daughter 
of Abel and Lavinia (Hosmer) Davis]. 

Cliildren: Charles, b. Nov. 6, 1829. 

George Dexter, b. in Lexington, Jan. 20, 1834; d. Feb. 
22, 1896. 

The early education of George Dexter Robinson was in 
Lexington, afterwards in the Hopkins Classical School at 
Cam1)ridge. He entered Harvard College in 1852, graduat- 
ing in the class of '56 with high rank. He became principal 
of the High School at Chicopee, Mass., remaining until 1865, 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 37 



when he entered the law office of his brother, Hon. Charles 
Robinson. Jr., in Charlestown. He was admitted to the bar 
at Cambridge in March. 1866, and returned to Chicopee. en- 
gaging- in the practice of law. 

Tn 1874 he was Representative in the Massachusetts Leg- 
islature, in "76 served in the State Senate. In '76 as Repub- 
lican candidate he was elected Representative from the 
Eleventh Congressional District to serve in the Forty-fifth 
Congress, and afterwards to the Forty-sixth and Forty- 
seventh. Here he became one of the ablest members as a 
presiding officer, and easily came to the front as debater on 
the rules and points of order. 

At the Republican State Convention, Sept. 19. 1883, Mr. 
Robinson was unanimously nominated for Governor, and 
entered upon the memorable campaign against Gen. Butler, 
which resulted in his election ; was re-elected in '84 and '85, 
serving three years. At the close of his services as Governor, 
and after ten years of public life, he resumed the practice of 
his profession in Springfield, with his son, who was after- 
wards his partner. 

November 24, 1859, he was married to Hannah E., 
daughter of William Stevens, of Lexington ; she died Sept. 
5. 1864. 

July II, 1867, he married Susan E., daughter of Joseph 
F. Simonds, of Lexington. 

His son, Walter Stevens Robinson, was born March 22, 
1861, graduated at Amherst in '84; married Miss Sarah 
Homans, and resides in Springfield. His daughter, Annie 
Florence, born October 41, 1869, graduated at Smith College 
in '91, and is the wife of Herbert \\'. Wright, of Springfield. 
Mass. 

Mr. Robinson recei\ed the degrees — A. B. (Harvard, 
'56) ; A. M. (Harvard. '59) ; L. L. D. (Amherst, '84) ; L. L. 
D. (Harvard, '86). 

He was an eminent Governor, one of the leaders at the 
Bar. and was universally esteemed and trusted. He led a 
very active and busy life, and in the midst of honorable 
work and duties was suddenly stricken with apoplexy, dying 



38 HISTORICAL SKETCH 



at his home in Chicopee after a short ilhiess, Feb. 22, 1896, 
at the age of sixty-two.* 

JAMES ROBINSON. 

James Rol>inson (son of Jonathan), as the father of 
El)enezer Robinson, merits a larger notice than we shah be 
able to give to his life, for the recorded facts are few, and 
there is no other kn(jwledge of him extant which we have 
been able to obtain. The farm evidentl}- descended to him 
and he must ha\'e there li\-ed a (|uiet life of contentment in 
daily duties. He married three times, and had eleven chil- 
dren. He was admitted to the Church, INIarch 10, 1765. 

James Robinson married ]\Iay 23, 1751, Anna Trask. 

She died, and he married JMargaret , by whom he 

had eight children. She died Nov. 5, 1767, and he married 

third. Elizabeth , by whom he had three children. f 

He died Aug. 12. 1774. 

CHILDREN OF JAMES AND MARGARET. 

Ri-TH KoiiiNsoN, b. Jan. 28, 1753. 

Joseph Robinson, 1). ]March 1755; Soldier of Revolution; d. 

July 5, 1784. 
Silas, b. Feb. 20, 1757; m. Lydia. 
Asa. b. Jan. 19, 1759; Soldier of Revolution in the campaign to 

New York, 1776. 
James, b. Nov. 26, 1760; m. ]\Iay 25, 1787, Judith Reed, of Wo' 

burn ; Soldier of the Revolution. 
Rhoda, b. May 10, 1763; d. young. 
Ebenezer, b. Feb. 14, 1765; d. 1857. 
Persis, 1). Jan. 2-,, 1767; baptized Feb. i, 1767. 

CHILDREN OF JAMES AND ELIZABETH. 

Jonas, b. May 18, 1770: baptized L")cc. 5, 1773. 

RiionA. baptized Oct. 20. 1771 : m. Simeon Snow, May 24, 1781. 

Lydia, b. Jan. 2, 1773. 

*For the above facts of Governor Robinson's career, acknowledgment is due 
to his widow, Mrs. Susan E. Robinson of Chicopee, Mass. 

tThe records of early colonial days were generally carefully kept, but as 
time passed on, less care was exercised, and the difficulty of obtaining exact names 
and dates increases. W'e have not been able to ubtain the family names of the 
second and third wives of James Robinson. 

Note — The facts concerning the last three children are incorrectly given in 
Hudson's Lexington. Cambridge records are here followed. 







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40 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

It will thus he seen that James Robinson had four sons 
who served as patriots in the Revolutionary war — Joseph, 
Asa, James and Ebenezer. His oldest son, Joseph, was a 
member of Capt. Parker's company and participated in the 
battle of Lexington, the first act' of the Revolutionary 
drama.* He married ]\Irs. Betty Hadley, the widow of his 
comrade, Samuel Hadley. who was killed in battle on the 
immortal April 19. 1775, at the battle of Lexington. Joseph 
Robinson enlisted with the eight months' men in 1775. and 
ser\e(l with the twehe months' men the year following, and 
subsequently entered the C\)ntinental Army. 

Hudson says : "He lived to enjoy the bounty of his coun- 
try and to see her prosperous and happy, and died April 14, 
1830. His wife died Feb. 9, 1831." 

Children: Rhoda, b. ]\Iay 17, 1781 ; m. May 17, 1810, John Gam- 
mell, of Charlestown, and d. Sept. 11, 1861. 

Margaret, b. Feb. 20, 1783. 

Nancy, b. Jan. 30. 1785; ni. July 20, i8og, Thomas 
Cutter, of West Cambridge. 

Joseph, b. July 14. 1787; m. Lydia Gair, of Boston; d. 
May 18, 1822. 

John Gammell, the husband of Rhoda Robinson, born 
Nov. 12, 1785, died Oct. i, 1866, was the son of William 
Gammell, a soldier of the Revolution, (b. 1750). They 
were married Alay 17, 18 10. 

Their children were : 

JoKN^ b. Jan. 13, 1812. 

Eliza, b. Aug. 21, 1813 ; d. July 14, 1848. 

Franklin, b. May 29, 1815; d. Feb. 22, 1842. 

Eben. b. March 7, 1817; d. ^lay, 1890. 

Margaret Ann, b. Nov. i, 1818; d. Nov. 12, 1850. 

Jonas, b. Oct. 10, 1820 ; d. (1878?). 

Lucy, b. Jan. i, 1822; d. Dec. 22, 1889. 

James Robinson, Jr., who was the brother and comrade 
of Ebenezer, and settled with him in South Reading, Vt., in 

*NoTE — His name is found on the Roll of the Company in Hudson's History 
of Lexington, p. 383. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 41 



1/88. had a large family of children whose history does not 
properly come within the scope of this sketch. He married 
Judith Read and their children were as follows : 

James Robinson. 1). Nov. 26th, 1761, Lexington, Mass.; m. May 25, 
1787; d. Nov. 29th 1836. 

Judith Reed Robinson, his wife, b. March 6th, 1768, Woburn, 
Mass. ; d. Jan. 27th, 1857. 

Children : 

James, Jr., b. March 20th, 1788: d. April 19th, 1847. 

Lucy F., b. Dec. 8th, 1879; d. Sept. 4th, 1869. 

Ebenezer, b. April 8th, 1791 ; d. ALirch ist, 1883:'^ 

Mary Reed, b. Dec. 17th. 1792; d. May i6th, 1842. 

Betsy, b. Oct. 3rd, 1794; d. Dec. 12th, 1842. 

Sally, b. May 19th, 1797; d. Sept. nth, 1814. 

Nancy, b. Nov. 27th, 1798; d. Jnly 25th, 1893. 

LvDiA. b. Nov. 23rd, iSoo; d. Aug. 31st, 1886. 

Ezra and Lois, b. Dec. 8th, 1802; Ezra died June 26th, 1875; 

Lois died June 14th, 1888. 
Eleanor, b. Jan. 22nd, 1806; d. June 25th, 1900. 
Rosilla, b. July 29th, 1809; d. Dec. 17th, 1891. 
Allen Reed, b. April 28th, iSii ; d. Oct. 6th, 1840. 
Noah B., b. July 2nd, 1813; d. Oct. ist, 1839. 

James Robinson and his wife lived and died in Reading 
and their large family mostly lived and died in that vicinity. 



CHAPTER V. 

CHILDREN OF EBENEZER ROBINSON. 

TJic Oldest Soil, Lczcis Robinson, and Descendants. 

Of the children of Ebenezer Robinson we note that 
Jonas (hed in infancy, Sally Town when a girl of fourteen, 
and Cahin when a ])romising- young- man of twentv-one 
years. Two unmarried daughters. Hannah and Rhoda, 
continued to live in the old homestead, and both died, ad- 
vanced in years, in 1873. The nephews of Rhoda Robinson 
speak of her as an ideal maiden aunf. kind, affectionate and 
sprightly. Although quite deaf, she was active and indus- 
trious and helpful to her many relatives. 

Lewis Robinson, the oldest son. became a man of prom- 
inence in his native town. The following sketch of his life 
was written by his oldest son, Calvin L. Robinson, for "The 
History of Reading." 

"Lewis Robinson ( b. Aug. 19, 1793: d. Nov. 16, 1871). 
was the eldest child of Ebenezer and Hannah Acklev Robin- 
son. He was raised on the farm cleared bv his father, being 
employed nine months in the year in tilling the land, and 
attending school for three months in the winter. To these 
advantages for an education were added one term at the old 
Academv at Duttonsville. and another at a High School in 
Granville. N. Y. 

The sons rmd daughters of the early settlers of Ver- 
mont were content to build their homes around their ances- 
tral hearth stones, and the subject of our sketch with his 
five brothers and sisters, all settled in or near the village of 
South Reading, Vt., lived and died there, and were buried 
in the <>ld \illage grave}-ard on the hill. Lewds Robinson 
prove<l himself a man of marked ability and energy. Soon 
after he came of age he engaged in the business of book 
])ul)lishing, establishing a printing othce at Greenbush. He 

42 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 43 



published a number of works there, and soon after went 
into the copper plate printing and the publication of maps 
and Scripture paintings at South Reading. In the map 
manufacture he found a large field. He was one of the most 
extensive C()i)per plate map publishers. In 1836 with two of 
his brothers-in-law, he established a large mai) publishing 
house in Akron, Ohio. In 1839, he opened a store, and 
soon after built a starch mill and carried on starch manu- 
facturing. 

In 1844, he established a branch of his mai) business at 
Stanstead, Lower Canada, and published there Canadian 
maps. In truth Lewis Robinson showed a business capacity 
of an uncommon order. 

In politics he was a staunch \\diig until the organization 
of the Republican party, when he found himself in sympathy 
with this new movement and voted with the part}-. For 
himself he would never seek nor accept any political office. 
He was not a man of many words, but took a serious view 
of life, and went aliout everything' with the air of one who 
feels he has a mission to perform on earth, and an account 
to render for his stewardship here. For many years he 
was a faithful member of the Methodist Enisconal Church. 
He lived to the age of seventy-eight years and died at his 
residence in South Reading, Nov. i6th, 1871. 

Among the sons of Reading who remained in their native 
hills none showed greater ability and perseverance than 
Lewis Robinson. The former prosperity of South Reading 
was mainly due to his efforts, and even yet the marks of 
the enterprise of Lewis Robinson stand in his native village 
to attest to hiis vigorous character, rugged and strong, like 
the hills of his native state." 

Sarah Manning, wife of Lewis Robinson, was born 
Aug. 6th, 1803, and was the daughter of Levi Manning, of 
Cavendish, Vt. He was born in Townsenfl, Mass., July 
29th, 1766, and was the seventh generation from William 
Manning, wlio came to America about the year 1634 and 
settled in Cambridge, Mass., and whose grandson. Samuel, 
settled in Billerica. Mass., on the old Manning homestead 




a 



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H4 O 



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•X 






ROBINSON FAMILY. 45 

which is preserved and remains in the Manning family to 
this day. This history of this family, numbering 6,014 
persons, is fully given by William H. Manning, of Ayer, 
Mass., in a volume entitled, 'TJic Manning Fauiily,' pub- 
lished at Salem, Mass., 1902," page 292. Sarah Manning 
married Lewis Robinson, Oct. 25, 1825. 

Mrs. Robinson was a woman of unusual character and 
energy, and an excellent wife and mother. She was gifted 
in mind and unselfish in disposition, sacrificing her own com- 
forts in order that her children should be well educated. She 
had the pleasure of seeing them all comfortably situated in 
life. She ^^'as a great lover of music, and was an able and 
influential woman in her ^'illage — was an active member 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and always full of good 
works. She survived her husband oxer twenty-one years, 
and during much of this time she li\'ed during the wdnter 
with some one of her children and in summer at her old 
homestead in South Reading, where she died peacefully 
while making preparations for the celebration of her nine- 
tieth birthday." 

Lewis and Sarah Roljinson had seven children. Their 
v^escendants are recorded as follows : 

I. Caroline Malvina. b. April 25th, 1827. She was 
educated in the public schools, afterward at the Chester 
Academy and at Newbury Seminary, finishing with a 
musical course in the Boston Conservatory of Music. Sub- 
sequently she was teacher of music at the Springfield ( \t. ) 
Wesleyan Seminar}' and taught two or three terms of select 
school. She was married iMarch ist, 1849, to Alden Speare, 
of Boston, Mass., and b\- him was the m()ther of seven chil- 
dren. 

Alden Speare (b. Oct. 26, 1825, d. Mar. 22, 1902), was 
born at Chelsea, Vermont, and was of sterling New England 
stock. His father, a physician, was a man of great energy, 
business capacity and of staunch Christian character, who 
died at the early age of fifty-one, when Alden, the older son. 
then attending Newbury Seminary, felt compelled to leave 
school to settle his father's estate. 



46 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

For nearly fifty-eight years he identified himself with 
the commercial, educational and religions interests of Bos- 
ton. Mr. Speare's success in husiness is manifested hv his 
prciminent connection with the great enter])rises of railroad 
i>uilding', heing directtjr for many years of the Santa Fe & 
Mexican Central R. R. Systems. His judgment, energy, 
and foresight were potent factors in the estal)lishment of 
several important railwa}- lines. He was also the second 
mayor of the City of Newton. 

Alden Speare was an active member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, was lay delegate to the (General Confer- 
ence of 1888, and became one of the Board of Managers of 
the Missionary Society of that denomination. He also did 
much work in connection with the Young Men's Christian 
Association, being I'resident of this Association in Boston in 
1857, and also of the Boston Wesleyan Association for 
many years. Since 1872 Alden Speare has been a Trustee 
of Boston University, to which he contributed noble gifts. 
His benefactions were large to many other educational and 
charitable institutions. 

Alden Speare was a man noted for his business and per- 
sonal integrity. But greater than his business capacity and 
his tireless service for every good cause, is the unsullied char- 
acter he bore through life. He died suddenly at Pasadena, 
Cab, Mar. 22d. 1902. The following were the children born 
to Air. and Mrs.. Speare: 

1. Sarah Jane. ]jorn August 22ii(l, 1S51, and died Sept. 14th, 1851. 

2. Herbert Aldex. born Aug. 27th, 1852. He was marrieii June 14U1, 
1875, to Rhoda H. Brickett, of Newton Centre, Mass., and became a 
business man of much prominence, entering tlie firm of Alden Speare's 
Sons & Co., of Boston. He died Oct. 14th, 1887. 

Their chihlren are: 

Florence, li. June 6, 1876. 

Emma, b. Sept. 28, 1879; m. Feb. 19, 1901, to Frederick Gould 

and to them a daughter Lois was born April 5, 1903. 
Alden Hebrert, b. May 18. iS'S^. 

3. liMMA Caroline, b. Dec. 8ih, 1855; m . Oct. 3rd. 1876, to Rev. 
William Edwards Huntington, and died .Marcli 3rd, 1877. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 47 



4- Ella :\Iaria, 1). March 28th, 1858; m. May loth. 1881, Rev. Will- 
iam Edwards Huntington. 

William Edwards Huntington was born in Hillsborough, Illinois, 
July 30th, 1844. He served in two campaigns in the war ; in 1864, as 
private in the 40th Wisconsin and as First Lieutenant in 1865 in the 
49th Wisconsin Regiment. 

He was graduated at the L'niversity of Wisconsin in 1870, obtain- 
ing there his degrees of A. B. and A. AL From the Boston L^niversity 
he received the degrees of S. T. B. and Ph. D. He preached in 
Nahant. Jamaica Plains, Rosindale, Newton, Harvard St. Church, 
Cambridge, and in 'Fremont St. Church, Boston. 

He studied in Germany in 1880 for one year. In 1882 he was 
made Dean of the College of Liberal Arts of Boston University. 
On the resignation of Dr. Warren, he was elected Acting President 
of Boston University. 

Dr. and Airs. Huntington have four children as follows: 

Raymond Edwards, b. June 28th, 1882, 

Emma Caroline, b. Jan. i6th, 1884; died September, 1884, 

Genevieve, b. July 29th, 1892. 

Miriam, b. Nov. 21st, 1897. 

5. Lewis Robinson, b. June 6th, 1861 : m. Nov. 20th, 1883, to Edith 
Burgess Holway, daughter of Rev. Dr. W. O. Holway, a retired chap- 
lain in the U. S. Navv. They have one child. Caroline Alalvina, b. April 
20th, 1885. 

Mr. Lewis Robinson Speare received his education in the Public 
and High Schools of Newton. In 1880 he entered the employ of 
Speare, Gregory & Co., and in 1882 was admitted as a partner. In 
1886 a special partnership of Alden Speare's Sons & Co. was formed, 
Mr. Speare was soon made senior partner of the same. The business 
has grown to large proportions, being now an incorporated company with 
houses in Boston. New York and Chicago. He is at present the 
President of this Company. He is also President and Treasurer of 
the Ashland Emery & Corundum Co., and President of the Crystal 
Springs Manufacturing Co., and Wheat Starch Co. Air. Speare is a 
man of large business interests, and his success is accounted for by the 
devotion and ability that he has given to his interests. 

6. AIinnie Gertrude, b. Oct. 22nd, 1862; m. April 25tli. 1894, to 
William Ingraham Haven. Thev have one child, Gladvs, b. Julv 26th, 

1895. 

William Ingraham Haven, D. D., son of Bishop Gilbert Haven 
of the Alethodist Episcopal Church, b. in Westfield, Alass., Jan. 30, 1856; 
graduated from Wesleyan Academy, Wilbraham, Mass., in 1873 ; 
from Wesleyan L'niversity, Aliddletown, Ct.. in 1877, and from 
Boston University School of Theology in 1881. Entered the New 
England M. E. Conference in 1881, was pastor of Eggleston Square 
Church, Saratoga St. Church, Boston, and of the Church in Newton 
Centre and Brookline. In 1898 he was elected Secretary of the Ameri- 
can Bible Society, which position he still holds. 



48 HISTORICAL SKETCH 



7. EinvAKi) Ray, b. Sept. 21st. 1872; m. Oct. 30>h, 1894, to Dorothy 
Simmons. 1). Fel). u, 1874. She was graduated from Boston University 
with the degree of Pli. 1!.. June, 1894. 

Mr. Edward Ray Sjjcare is ^i graduate of the College of Liberal 
Arts, of Boston University. .After graduating he became connected 
with the business founded by his father in 1851. He is the \'ice- 
Presiclent and General Manager of the Alden Speare's Sons & Company, 
Secretary and Treasurer of the Water Paint Company of America. 
He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Boston University ; 
is Treasurer of the Blair and Le Larm Veneer Company; secretary of 
the Ashland Emery and Corundum Company, and director in various 
other industrial concerns. His children are: 

Albert Robinson, b. April 1.2th. iSg6. 
Dorothy, b. Dec. 13th, 1897. 
Virginia, b. Aug. 7th, 1899. 

II. Calvin Lewis, eldest son of Lewis Robinson, was 
born June 3rd. 1828. He was educated in the ])til)lic schools 
and at the Newbury and Springfield Seminaries and at the 
Norwich University, finishing with a two years' course in 
the L^niversity of Vermont. He was married March ist, 
1855, to Elizabeth Seymour, b(M-n Jan. 28th, 1834, in 
Broome, P. O. \\ ith failing health, he entered commercial 
business in December. 1857, settling in Jacksonville. Florida. 
Here he carried on a large commercial trade, and in the 
early part of the War of the Rebellion was. with his family. 
(lri\en from home, and his store and dock were burned, to- 
gether with much ^•aluable property, by the rebels. He was 
succored by the gunboats of the L^nited States navy, which 
reinstated the Federal authority in that locality. He was a 
member of the National Republican Convention held in Bal- 
timore in 1864. that nominated Abraham Lincoln the second 
time, and was a delegate to General Conference of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, held in Baltimore in 1876. He con- 
tinued his residence, as a staunch. lc\val citizen of the Gov- 
ernment, in that city until the time of his death, which oc- 
curred July 4th. 1887. He had the following children: 

I. Arthur Seymour, b. Dec. 2nd, 1857; m. Dec. 25th, 1880, to Mag- 
gie Alosser. b. Oct. 19th, 1859. Their children are: 

Arthur Mosser, b. Oct. 12th, 1881 ; d. Aug. 21st, 1901. 
Joseph Ai.hert, b. Feb. i8th, 1890. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 49 

2 Edward Tkvinc. b. Nov. i2tli, 1859: m. Dec. i6th, 1884, to Alice 
Barber. Tbeir children are : 

Ralph Howard, b. July 2n(l, 18S6. 
Carl Lewis, b. Jan. 30th, 1889. 
Reginald Barker, b. July 20th, 1891. 

Edw.vkd Irving, m. October, 1894, to Lillian Martin. Their children 
are : 

Solon. Dec. 5th, 1895. 

Lewis ALxrtin, ]\Iay 9th, 1897. 

3. George Lewis, b. Nov. 2nd, 1861 ; d. Nov. 7th, 1861. 

4. William Calvin, b. May 7th. 1864; d. Dec. 17th, 1865. 

5. Annie, b. Sept. ist, 1869; m. June 13th. 1889, to Roland Wood- 
ward, a civil engineer; b. Oct. 4th, 1868 at Irvington, 111. Their children 
are : 

Roland Woodward, Jr., b. March 20th, 1890. 

Rose Elizabeth, b. Sept. 3rd, 1892. 

Harold Robinson, b. Dec. nth, 1893. 

Dorothy Russell, b. July 7th, 1895. 

6. Alice Manning, b. July 12th, 1872; m. July i8th, 1896, to David 
A. Disbrow, b. Feb. loth, 1866. 

7. Ruby Elizabeth b. June 15th, 1875; d. Sept. 9th, 1877. 

III. Eliza Ann, second daug-hter of Lewis Robinson, 
born Marcli 29th. 1830. She was educated as were 
the other members of the family, and was mar- 
ried Sept. 19th, 1849, ^^ Jo^in S. Clark, of Lunenburg, 
Vt.. who was born Sept. 4th, 1822. They settled on the 
well-known Judge Clark meadow farm in the oxbow of the 
Connecticut River in Lunenburg-, Vt. At the breaking- out 
of the War of the Rebellion, Mr. Clark entered the military 
service of the Vermont Volunteers and was appointed cap- 
tain of Company K, Eight Vermont Volunteers, Col. 
Stephen Thomas, which regiment was ordered to New Or- 
leans in the fall of 1862. He performed military service 
until the following spring' in the expedition of Major Gen- 
eral Butler, when he was stricken with dysentery and died 



50 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

in the hospital ]\Iarch 20th. 1863. The following children 
were born t<» them : 

1. Lewis S. Clark, b. Dec. 17th. 1850. He now resides in Seattle, 
Wash. 

2. John C. Clark, b. June 3rd. 1852. He was educated in Detroit, 
Mich., while Hving with his uncle. George O. Robinson, and afterwards 
returned to Vermont. For several years he was cashier of the Chelsea 
( Vt. ) National Bank, and subsequently was cashier of the First National 
Bank of St. Johnsbury, \'t.. and represented the town of St. Johnsbury 
in the State Legislature in 1894-5. He is now secretary and treasurer 
of Messrs. E. and T. Fairbanks & Co. Scale Works, of St. Johnsbury. 
He was married April 14th, 1881, to Lida Puffer, of Grand Isle, \'t., 
who was born March 4th, 1863. Their children are: 

Robert Puffer, b. INIarch 20th, 1882. He was educated in St. 
Johnsbury Academy and is now connected with the Fair- 
banks" Scale Co. 

Margaret Robinsox, b. May 15th, 1884. 

Arthur Daxa, b. March 26th. 1889. 

Dorothea, b. Nov. 5th, 1898. 

3. Flora Ella. b. Dec. 12th. 1853. She was married Nov. i8th, 1875, 
to A. D. Rowell, who was born February, 1839, and died June 17th, 
1893, in St. Johnsbury. V^t. Mr. Rowell carried on the business of 
jewelry, silverware and watchmaking in St. Johnsbury, to which busi- 
ness his wife succeeded. 

4. George Robinson Clark, b. Sept. 9th, 1859. He was educated at 
the St. Johnsbury Academy, and entered the profession of dentistry. 
He married Mona Maynard, of Northfield, Vt., and settled in his 
profession in Boston, Mass. He has been a member of the celebrated 
Ruggle Street Baptist Church choir for twenty years. 

Mrs. Eliza Ann Clark re-married Nov. 12th. 187 1, 
her second hnsband being Edward E. Brown, a merchant 
of St. T''>hnsbnry. Vt.. who was born in Berlin. \'t.. in 1819. 
Both ]\Ir. and Mrs. Brown are still residing in St. Johns- 
bury. 

JV. George O., second son of Lewis Robinson, was 
born at South Reading. Yi.. June 14th. 1832. enjoyed the 
usual advantages of a public school education, as- 
sisted his father in various de])artments of busi- 
ness and at the age of seventeen commenced 
teaching school and studied to fit himself for college at 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 51 

Newbury (Vt.) Seminary. He g-raduated from the Uni- 
versity of Vermont in 1857 as salntatorian of his class. He 
stndied law and was atlmitted to the l^ar in 1858. For two 
years he practised law in Wisconsin, and in the spring" of 
1 86 1 remo\'ed to Detroit, Michigan, forming a law partner- 
shij) with Da\id A\'. Brooks in 1862. The tirm made a 
specialty of the collection of claims npon the Government 
arising ont of the Civil War. The partnership was dis- 
solved in 1872, when the new firm of Robinson & Flinn was 
formed, giving special attention to the title, care and sale 
of pine lands and pine land estates. He has con- 
ducted large and important business interests, lieing at the 
present time especially interested in iron mines. He has 
taken an active interest in the affairs of the city where he 
has lived, and for some years was an active member of the 
Board of Education. 

In charital)le and religious work he has always been 
acti^•e. He was one of the original members of 
the Young- Men's Christian Association, and has been an 
active and influential member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, ha\ing l)een a lay delegate to the General Confer- 
ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1896, and was 
for a time a member of the important Book Committee of 
the Church. He was the organizer and principal founder 
of the Michigan Christian Advocate, and has been for a 
number of years the president of the company which pub- 
lishes it. He has traveled extensively both in his own coun- 
try and in foreign lands, and has written of his tra\'els as 
well as of other sul)jec"s. 

(leorge O. Robinson married, Sept. 2/, 1859, Helen 
Mather, who was a daughter of Atla E. Mather, 
the first crockery merchant of Detroit. He was a direct de- 
scendant of the Mather familw well known in the eai^ly his- 
tory of Massachusetts. ( See hist(;ry of the Mather familv.) 
Helen Alather was educated in the schools of Detroit, and 
also at the well-known Female Seminarv at Burlington, Vt. 
Her mother, Lois Yale, was a daughter of Lyman Yale, of 
Charlotte, Yt., a descendant of the brother of the f(»under of 



52 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Yale Colleg'e. She was a woman of fine tastes and manners 
and was liighly gifted in mnsic. She died Jan. loth, 1890, 
leaving" four children, wdio still snrvive. 

For his second wife. George O. Robinson married. May 
7. i8yi, jane M. Bancroft, the daughter of Rev. George 
C. Bancroft and Caroline Orton Bancroft. She is a gradu- 
ate of the celebrated school of Mrs. Emma Willard at Troy, 
N. Y., the State Normal School at Albanx', and in 1877 of 
Syracuse l^nixersity. Later she obtained in course, upon 
examination, the degree of Master and Doctor of Philoso- 
phy. Miss Bancroft was the Dean of the Woman's College 
of the Northwestern University, at Evanston, Illinois, from 
1877 until 1886. She spent the years 1886 to 1888 at the 
Universities of Zurich and Paris, making history a special 
study. \\'hile in Europe she became greatly interested in 
Christian philanthrophy, and later wrote a work entitled, 
"Deaconness in Europe and Their Lessons for America." 
She is at the present time the First Vice-President and Trus- 
tee of the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church and Secretary of its Deaconess Bu- 
reau. Both Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are greately interested 
in philanthropic work, in the charities of Detroit as also in 
many other causes. 

The children of George O. and Helen (Mather) Robin- 
son are : 

I. Frederick Austin. 1). July 27, 1S60, was educated in the 
schools of Detroit and at the Academy in St. Johnsbury, Vt. He 
graduated from the Literary Department of tlie LIniversity of Michi- 
gan in 1882. degree A. B., and from the Law Department of the Univer- 
sity of Michigan in 1883, degree LL. B. He was married May 3, 
1888, to Clara Louise Hayes, of Detroit, wdio was Iwrn ALarch 17, 1861, 
daughter of Josiah D. Hayes, a prominent railroad official, originator of 
the system of through bills of lading to foreign countries and an 
authority on inter-state commerce. They have two children. 

Frederick H.-wes, b. Aug. 24, 1898. 
AL\RioN Louise, b. Aug. 16, 1901. 

Mr. Robinson is a citizen of public spirit, devoted to the interests 
of his city. He has served ten years as a member of the Board of Esti- 
mates of Detroit, and one term as the President of the Board. He is 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 53 



Managing Director of the Farrand Organ Company, and has been for 
a number of years connected in business with the firm of Robinson & 
Flinn, Attorneys, interested in pine and iron lands. 

2. Caroline Manning, b. Aug. loih, 1863, was educated at Profes- 
sor Sill's Detroit Female Seminary and at the Painesville, O., Young 
Ladies' Institute. She was married to George L. Chesebrongh, Dec. 
22nd, 1886, and has resided for the last ten years in the city of Duluth, 
Minn. 

George L. Chesebrough was born Feb. 26th, 1862, in Sandusky, 
O., is the son of Alfred Chesebrough, at one time Controller and 
Library Commissioner of the City of Detroit, and largely interested in 
vessel transportation. George L. Chesebrough is engaged in the devel- 
opment of mining lands. 

3. George Alta, b. Jan. nth, 1868, was educated in the Detroit Pub- 
lic Schools and graduated from the St. Johnsbury, Vt., Academy. 
He afterwards spent three years in civil engineering on the Santa 
Fe R. R,, under the direction of his cousin, Albert A. Robin- 
son, chief engineer of the road. Later he took the engineering 
course at the L'niversity of ^lichigan, and has since been chiefly 
employed as a civil engineer in the office of the Detroit City Engineer. 
He was married Jan. 5th, 1899, to Antoinette Bloom (b. April 6, 1872), 
of Detroit, a daughter of Mr. Nelson Bloom. They have one child, 
George Mather Robinson, born Nov. 24th, 1901. 

4. William Henry, b. Sept. 9th, 1874, and died Dec. loth, 1878. A 
most promising boy. 

5. Emma Mabel, b. Nov. 13th. 1876, was educated and graduated 
from the Detroit Home and Day School, and was later at Mt. Vernon 
Seminary, Washington, D. C. 

The following are younger children of Lewis and Sarah 
Robinson : 

V. Sarah Jane, third daughter of Lewis Robinson, 
born May 11, 1834, was educated in select schools and at 
Springfield Seminary. She developed a fine talent for paint- 
ing water colors and for music, but was prematurely 
stricken with disease and died Alarch 7, 1855. 

VL Cornelia Eglantine, born Nov., 1840, died Dec. 
1841. 

VIL Flora Ella, born March, 1845, ^Hed Sept., 1845. 



CHAPTER VI. 

MARVIN ROBINSON, 

Fourth Son of Ebc7iezcr Robinson. 

Compiled from a Sketch Written by his Son, Frank M Robinson, Esq. 
of Dubuqiie, Iowa, for the History of Reading. 

"Marvin Robinson, the fourth son and fifth child of 
Ebenezer Robinson, was born March 24, 1800, on what is 
known as the 'Old Esquire Robinson Farm' at South Read- 
ing. Until he was twenty-one years of age he assisted his 
father in clearing away the forests and carrying on the 
farm. Soon after reaching his majority he commenced the 
business of tanning in South Reading, and continued it 
with such success as to acquire not only what was considered 
a competence, but an amount sufficient to numl^er him 
among the wealthier men of Reading. Later he abandoned 
the tanner and currier's trade altogether and farming was 
his principal occupation up to the time of his death. 

He filled several offices of trust in his native town, having 
been seven times elected one of the selectmen, which position 
he was fillino- at the time of his death. He was chosen lister 
one or more years and served his townsmen in other posi- 
tions of trust and responsibility. In politics he was a Whig, 
but when the issues upon which that party was founded no 
longer existed, he gave his vote and his support to the 
newly formed Repul)lican party. He was not a politician or 
partisan farther than the principles of his party, in his judg- 
ment, conduced to the general public welfare. 

He was a man of great physical strength and endur- 
ance. Whatever he aimed to accomplish he labored for with 
a perseverance and energy that distanced many a man of 
weaker will and less physical power. A man of good judg- 
ment and sound practical sense himself in regard to all the 

54 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 55 



business and duties that came within the range of his obser- 
vation, and measuring everything by a matter of fact test. 
he entertained but poor opinion of all theories and schemes 
in which he could see no tangible value or practical utility. 

His early education was limited to that afforded by the 
common schools, and a wider range of scholastic training he 
deemed quite unnecessary for the successful business man. 
His sons he taught the hard lessons of self-reliance and 
economy by making them, from early boyhood, dependent 
upon their own resources for all beyond necessary food and 
clothing, and when they reached manhood, the same austere 
discipline compelled them, unaided, to make their own place 
in the world and be the founders as well as architects of 
their own fortunes. 

His opinions he held firmly and the fear or favor of nc 
man ever checked their free expression, while his unswerv- 
ing integrity of purpose and character were never called in 
question by friend, neighbor or townsman. By nature, 
stern and strong himself, his discipline and judgment of 
others may have sometimes seemed to be severe, but severity 
was never allowed to overbalance what he believed to be the 
even scale of justice. 

New England, almost from the rocks, has been made the 
Eden she is, through the energy, economy, perseverance and 
practical intelligence of men of his type." 

Marvin Robinson (b. March 24. 1800; d. Dec. 22, 1866) 
was twice married, ist. On Oct. 11. 1826. to Lucinda Ful- 
1am (b. Sept. 13. 1797; d. Nov. 25. 1839). They had seven 
children. 2nd. On Sept. 22. 1840. to Charlotte Wood (b 
May 2, 1816. in Hartland, Vermont; d. April 14. 1899. in 
Felchville). They had three children. 

CHILDREN OF MARVIN AND LUCINDA. 

I. Eranklin Marvin (b. August 2. 1828; d. March 
25, 1885). who married Eeb. 3. 1857, Laura Goddard 
Spaulding (b. May 6, 1832; d. June 21, 1889). Mr. Robin- 
son graduated at Dartmouth College class of 1855. In 1856 
be removed to Dubuque, Iowa, and practiced law. In 1862 



56 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

he formed a partnershii) with Austin Adams, another Dart- 
mouth man. the hrm 1:)ecomino- later "Adams, Robinson & 
Lacey." Mr. Robinsun was a sound lawyer, an excellent 
business man, and actively interested in the citw where he 
lived for n\-er thirty years. 

1. May Goddaki), h. April 21. i860; m. Oct. 6, 1879, to Judge Ben- 
jamin W. Lacey; b. March 12, 1849. in Cayuga County, New York; 
son of Dr. Samuel Lacey and Mary Woodbury Lacey. He graduated 
from the law department of Columbian College in 1871 ; began the prac- 
tice of the law in 1872 in Dubuque; was made a judge of the District 
Court in 1878 and held this position for five years. At present is a 
member of the law firm of Lacey & Brown, President of the Iowa 
Trust and Savings Bank, and a Director of the Gas Company, Street 
Railway and other companies. He has been interested in public insti- 
tutions, having been President of the Hospital and Library Boards. Of 
six children born to them, four are living, as follows : 

Frank Robinson, b. Feb. 22. 1881, graduate of Harvard, class 

of 1902, Harvard Law School. 
BuRRiTT Samuel, b. ^March 4, 1882, graduate of Harvard, class 

of 1903. 
Clive Woodbury, b. Feb. 4, 1893. 
Margaret, b. April 16, 1899. 

2. Belle Fullam, b. Aug. 11, 1862; d. April 5, 1887. 

3. Grace, b. March 14, 1S71 ; ni. June 27, 1893, to Westel Woodbury 
Willoughby, Ph. D., b. July 20, 1867; Professor at Johns Hopkins 
L^niversity. Children : 

Westel Robinson, b. Nov. i, 1895. 
Laura Robinson, b. [March i, 1897. 

II. Edwin Auretus, second son of Marvin Robinson, 
was born Oct. 18th, 1829, was educated in the public schools 
and after arriving- of age he settled in Boston and became 
a partner in the wdtolesale provision house of W. F. Robin- 
son & Co., with his two brothers, and died unmarried Nov. 
8th, 1892. 

III. Charles Henry, the third son, was born July 
i8th, 183 T, was educated in Reading-, settled in Boston and 
entered the firm of \\'. F. Robinson & Co. with his brothers. 
He was successful in business, married in Boston, and died 
April 8th, 1902, leaving no children. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 57 

IV. Wallace Fullam Robinson^ the fourth son of 
Mar\in, was born Dec. 22, 1832, and educated in Reading, 
and when a young- man he entered business in the pro- 
vision market in Boston. His business grew rapidly when 
he added to it the wholesale and packing business and soon 
took in partnership his two older brothers under the firm 
name of \V. F. Robinson & Co. They were all good busi- 
ness men and were \Qvy successful. Wallace F. Robinson 
has accumulated a handsome fortune; has lieen President of 
the Boston Chamber of Commerce and of the Board of 
Trade, and has been honored in many ways. He has now 
retired from business with the respect and esteem of his 
large circle of acquaintances. He married Aug. 19th, 185S, 
Mary Jane Robinson (born Aug. 20th, 1838), who was a 
daughter of Ezra Robinson, son of James Robinson, men- 
tioned as brother of Ebenezer in this sketch. Their children 
are as follows : 

Fred Walter, b. Sept. 10, 1859; d. June 7, 1893. 
Harry Ezra, 1). Oct. 17, 187.2. 

V. Forrest Alonzo, b. May 29, i8^s; d. March 19, 
1836. 

VI. Maria France.s, b. Jan. 2, 1837; m. March 2"/, 
1857. James Orville Whitten. 

VII. Elmer Dl^ane, b. July 15, 1838; d. Dec. 4. 1893; 
m. Sept. 14, 1862, Lorette C. Hawkins ( b. March 11, 1838), 
Children : 

Erwin Elmer, 1). Aug. 6, 1865; m. April 30, 1900, to Serena 

Sheldon, b. Oct. 24, 1868. 
Arthur Hawkins, b. May i, 1874. 

Elmer Duane, when about two years of age, his mother 
ha^'ing died, was adopted by his aunt, Eliza Robinson Keyes, 
wife of Washington Keyes, whose surname. "Keyes," was 
henceforth his name. 

He entered the Ci\il \\\ar as lieutenant, was promoted to 



58 HISTORICAL SKETCH 



the rank of captain, and his company, with its regiment, took 
a prominent part in the l)attle of Gettysburg. JMr. Keyes 
went to Rutland. Vermont, in 1870, and entered in the retail 
grocery business, which gradually assumed large proportions, 
a wholesale branch being also established. He became the 
head of the largest firm in the wholesale grocery business in 
the State of Vermont. In June, 1865, Mr. Erwin E. Keyes 
was taken into partnership. Mr. Keyes was a man of the 
most thorough and painstaking instincts; was prominent in 
business affairs, was a director in banks and other financial 
institutions, and commanded to an unusual extent the respect 
and confidence of all who were in any way associated with 
him. 

CPIILDREN OF MARVIN AND CHARLOTTE. 

VIII. Elroy Clement, b. Jan. 30, 1844; d. Oct. 28, 
1885. He was a merchant of Weathersfield, Vt., and a 
member of the Vermont Legislature. 

IX. Delia Ada, b. Jan. 24, 1847; d. Oct. 29, 1851. 

X. Addie Lestina, b. Nov. 7, 1852; d. Aug. 9, 1873, 



CHAPTER VII. 



EBENEZER ROBINSON, Jr. 

Ebenezer Robinson, Jr., the youngest son of Ebenezer 
Robinson, was born in South Reading, Sept. 30, 1809. He 
received his education in the pubHc schools, and while a 
young man was an active agent in the selling of copper-plate 
maps of the States of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont 
for his brother, Lewis Robinson, who was then in the map 
publishing business. He developed excellent business quali- 
ties and good judgment, and married Jan. 4, 1837, Adeline 
Williams (b. Dec. 19, 1814; d. July 18, 1894), the daughter 
of Samuel Williams and Polly Manning, his wife.* After 
marriage he settled on his father's farm, which he carried 
on in connection with his father. He became a citizen much 
esteemed in his community. He e\'inced those thorough 
sterling c|ualities of integrity and mechanical and mathemat- 
ical accuracy which characterized his father, and which have 
since made themselves manifest in his boys, and was holding 
office of public trust in the town of Reading when he was 
suddenly stricken with congestion of the lungs and died 
Julv 5, 1849, leaving his widow and four childen. 

In 1853 Mrs. Adeline Williams Robinson was married 
to Mr. Alba Childs, and settled in Wisconsin. 

I. Stillman W., b. March 6. 1838, has been twice 
married. On Dec. 29, 1863, to Mary Elizabeth Holden 
(b. Jan. 30, 1839; d. July 29, 1885). Chilidren : 

1. EcKK.v Mazala, I). Oct. 15, 1S69; m. June 23, 1892, Rev. 

Geo. E. Rowe. Four children. 

2. Erdis Geroska, b. Dec. 20, 1872. 

3. Zella, b. Dec. 2, 1877; m. June 4. 1902, to Otto F. Hakes. 



* Note.— See History of the Manning Family. Page 292. 

59 



60 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

Mr. Robinson was married April 12, 1888, to Alary 
Haines. 

"From T/ to 2T years, Stillman \\\ Robinson served an 
apprenticeship as machinist; at 25 he gradnated from the 
University of ^Michigan witli the degree of civil engineer; 
from 25 to 28 years, he was assistant on the United States 
Lake Survey ; from 28 to 7,2 he was assistant in engineering, 
University of Michigan; from 32 to 40. professor of Me- 
chanical Engineering and Physics, University of Illinois; 
from 40 to 57, professor of Mechanical Engineering, Ohio 
State University, resigning in 1895 ^'^^^^ §'i^'i"§" attention tc 
mechanical and scientific su1)jects. In 1896 he was given the 
degree of D. Sc. ; and in 1899 was made Professor Emeritus 
in Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University. 

In 1880-84 be was inspector of railways and bridges for 
Ohio ; 1887-90, consulting engineer A. T. & S. Fe R. R. ; and 
in 1887 consulting engineer for the Lick telescope and 
mountings. 

From 1862 to the present time he has been an inventor, 
having secured S(jme 40 patents, a goodly number of which 
have proved of value, especially the eight or ten concerned 
in shoe manufacture." 

Mr. Robinson is a member of the Am. Soc. Mech. Eng. ; 
Am. Soc. Civ. Eng. ; of Naval and Alarine Engs. ; a Fellow 
of the A. A. A. S. ; is author of important articles in soci- 
eties and periodicals ; of four of Van Nostrand's Science 
Series; and of a college text book on "Principles and Mech- 
anism." 

At the Centennial, three awards were granted on appli- 
ances of his invention, and at the Columbian Exposition, two. 

II. Elna Ali'jioxse, b. Dec. 15, 1839, was twice mar- 
ried. First, April 27, 1861, at Gardner, Alass., to Melora M. 
Smith (1). Oct. 15, 1839: d. Aug. 16. 1885). Children: 

1. Sarah Ann, b. March 4, 1862 ; d. ?*[arcli 4, 1S62. 

2. Addie Eva, 1). (3ct. 17, \^()^^: d. Aug-. 27, 1865. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 61 



3. Gertrude Minnie, b. July 5, 1868; m. Dec. 25, 1887, to 
W. L. Troyer, b. ; d. April 8, 1893. Children: 

Fannie F., b. Sept. 2-/, 1888. 

M.XBEL, b. Oct. 26, 1891. 

4. Inez AIakv. b. Nov. 28, 1872; ni. Archiliald Boyd, Aug. 

30, 1881. Children; 
Bert Blaine, b. Jan. 29, 1891. 
Geo. Archibald, b. Aug. 26, 1892. 
Wilbur Alphonso, b. Feb. 4, 1895. 
Neil Dow, b. Dec. zj, 1897. 
John Robinson, b. July 14, 1900. 

5. Fannie Nettie, b. Aug. 30, 1881. 

Elna A. Rribinsnn m. Nov. 30, 1886, Semphrona E. 
Stage, (b. ^lar. 4. 1844.) 

From 17 to 21 ^Ir. Robinson served an apprenticeship 
as a machinist. In 1870-74 he attended the University of 
IlHnois, graduating- with the degree of M. E., when he be- 
came assistant in Mechanical Engineering at the same insti- 
tution. In 1878 he l)ecame partner with Mr. E. M. Burr at 
Champaign, 111., for general machine construction, as well 
as improving and manufacturing specialties, and still con- 
tinues in business in the same city. 

III. Albert Alonzo Robinson, third son of Ebenezer 
Jr.; b. Oct. 21, 1844; twice married; first, Dec. 6, 1869, 
Julia Caroline Burdick ; d. Aug. 3. 1880. Second, married 
September, 1885. Mrs. Eliza Frances Williams, and now 
resides in Topeka, Kan. 

Albert Alonzo and Julia Caroline had one chikl : 

Metta Burdick Robinson, b. July 17, 1876. 

He was born at South Reading, Vt., and was educated 
in the public schools, and graduated from the University of 
Alichigan in 1869, taking the degree of C. E. and B. S., and 
in 1871, M. S. In June, 1900, the honorary degree of LL. 
D. was conferred on him by his Ahna Ma\cr. 

His work on railroads i^egan in 1869, when he entered 
the service of the St. Joseph & Denver City Railroad as axe- 
man in the engineering corps, and thereafter served succes- 



62 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

sivelv as chainman, levelman, transitnirm, office enpfineer. lo- 
eating' ent^ineer, and as assistant ens^ineer until April i, 187 1 
Then he became assistant engineer of the A. T. & S. Fe R. R.^ 
in charge of location and construction, and two rears later, 
April. 1873. was made Chief Engineer, which position he 
held until August. 1890. during which period he had charge 
of the entire construction of the Santa Fe Railway System, 
including the route through the Grand Canon of the Ark- 
ansas. 

From June. 1883. to September i. 1883. he was Assistant 
General Superintendent of the same railroad ; from Septem- 
ber I. 1883. to March i, 1884. he was General Superintend- 
ent; from March i. 1884. to February i. 1886. he was Gen- 
eral Manager; from February i. 1886, to May, 1888, Second 
Vice-President ; and Second Vice-President and General 
Manager from May, 1888, until May i, 1893, when he left 
this system and accepted the Presidency of the Mexican Cen- 
tral Ry. Co., which position he still holds. 

During his engineering experience, he has had direct 
charge of the construction of over four thousand five hun- 
dred miles of railroad in all kinds of countr}-, cm plains and 
deserts and in mountains and mountain canons. In 1887, 
the railroad from Pueblo to Denver was constructed and 
opened for traffic. 116 miles in 216 days, and also 360 miles 
of the line from Kansas City to Chicago in 276 days. 

Mr. Robinson is a member of the American Society of 
Civil Engineers. The history of his connection with the 
Santa Fe Ry. is of deep interest frdm the fact of his unusual 
success in overcoming obstacles inxohing difficult railway 
problems. His record will now probably show the highest 
in railway construction mileage. 

IV. Mary Ella, only daughter of Ebenezer Jr. ; b. 
Sept. 4, 1847; m. April 24, 1870. Asa N. Phelps, of Spring- 
field, Wisconsin, where they settled and have since resided, 
Mr. Phelps carrying on a grocery and grain business at 
that place. Their children are: 

Gyrus Alba Phelps, b. Fel). 2, i.'^;!. 
Adeline Williams Phelps, 1). .'\ugust 4, 1X79. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 63 



ELIZA ROBINSON. 

Eliza Robinson, youngest daughter and ninth chi'M of 
Ebenezer Robinson, was born May 20. 1807, and married 
Washington Keyes. of a well known family in Reading, 
September 29, 183 1, and died Decemlier 13. i860. They 
settled on the adjoining farm, next northerly of the Eben- 
ezer Robinson farm, where formerly James, the brother of 
Ebenezer Robinson, had lived, and which he had cleared, 
which farm Mr. Keyes greatly improved and enjoyed until 
some time after the death of his wife. 

They had one child, Laura Malvina Keyes, who was born 
Sept. 7, 1832, and afterwards they adopted into their family 
Elmer Duane, the sixth son of Marvin and Lucinda Robin- 
son, whose mother died in his infancy and who grew up as 
their child. Having used the name of Keyes in his child- 
hood, he was ever afterward known by that name. Refer- 
ence is made to him under the head of Chapter VL in giving 
the children of Alarvin Robinson. 

Washington Keyes was an intelligent and prosperous 
farmer and was the representative of his town in the Ver- 
mont Legislature at the time of the death of his wife. 

Laura M. Keyes married A\'illiam ALanning Williams 
Sept. 7, 1853. Thev had four children. Lizzie. Arthur, 
Frank and Flora Ella, the first three of whom died in child- 
hood. Flora Ella was born Oct. 31. 1865, and was married 
to William Wallace White Sept. 2, 1879, who died in New 
York Dec. 11, 1887. 

William M. Williams Avas born April 6, 1824, and was 
the son of Samuel and Polly (Manning) Williams. (See 
Chapter VIL as to his sister, Adeline WiHiiams, who mar- 
ried Ebenezer Robinson Jr.) After carrying on a wooden- 
ware manufactory in South Reading, he settled in New 
York citv as cabinetmaker, and died in that city May 19, 
1897, survived by his wife, Laura (Keyes) Williams, and 
his daughter. Flora Ella White. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

THE ROBINSON NAME.* 

The person who studies genealogy for the sake of tracing 

descent from some distinguished ancestor is to be pitied. 

Disilhision is his invariable experience. Such persons should 

stud\' Gibbon's sketch of thcvnoble French house of Courte- 

• . . . 

na}', and take the lesson home. Rising from a plebian root. 

active, vigorous individuals pushed forward the fortunes of 
the Courtenay family until it was C(onnected witli the royal 
line of France. It remained prominent for a century or two 
and then it gradually, pitilessly sank until again it was lost 
to recognition among the masses of the people. The honors 
had passed away, but the family remained, though its rami- 
fications were lost among the many. So every family is in- 
extricably intermingled with all classes and ranks of social 
life. 

The studv of genealogiv in itself, however, is in manv 
ways interesting. To trace the characteristics of a family 
from generation to generation is a psychological investiga- 
tion. To note the effect of inter-marriage; to study the 
immediate, marked result of a capable, energetic individual 
upon all related to him ; to note how environment affects de- 
velopment of character ; all of these are questions that must 
concern those who are interested in the life about them. 

The (|uestion of en\'ironment is well illustrated in the 
descendants of Sanmel Rol)inson. He kept a tavern at 
Cambridge, a town of schools, close to Boston, which even 
then was one of the most active intellectual and political 
centers of the New World. Flis son Samuel grew up in 
this atmosphere of intellectual ferment, and is it surprising 

Homes of English Names, H. B. Guppy, 1890. English Surnames, Lower, 
1875. English Surnames, Bardsley, London, 1875. 

6; 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 65 



that his branch of the descendants of WiHiani Robinson has 
prodnced more statesmen and men of pubhc hfe than any 
other ? 

Then the study of names, especially of surnames, has a 
fascination to a thinker. How did they arise? A little re- 
search shows us that surnames are a mark of advanced civi- 
lization. Camden, the great antiquary, says that they were 
not known in England until the time of the English Con- 
quest. Before that time, every existing deed is signed with 
a cross and a single name. About the middle of the twelfth 
century persons of rank l)egan to have some distinctive 
name in addition to the baptismal name, but such names were 
hardly known among the middle and lower classes before 
the fifteenth century. Then all kinds of designations arose 
and in various ways. One person would be named by his 
occupation ; a mason, a carpenter, a miner ; another from 
local names, as field, grove, lake ; another from the place 
where he resided, as Norman, Poland, Scott; others from 
the baptismal name of the father. 

The English surname of Robinson was derived from the 
baptismal name of Robert, itself a Teutonic name. A few 
of the derivations are as follows : 

Robarts, Robins, Robinson, Roberts, Robertson, Robison, 
Robson and Roby. Then we have the nickname of Dob 
for Robert, from which has come Dobbs, Dobson, Dobbins. 
Dobinson, and Dobynette, and from Hob, another nickname 
for Robert, has come Hobbs, Hobson, Hobbins, Hopkins, 
and Hopkinson. From the \\'elsh we have Ap-robert, Ap- 
robin, and the contractions, Probert and Probyn. 

Robert was a frequent name among the people, and the 
following fact may be one of the reasons for its so being : 
Salverte says that when the European states were converted 
to the Christian faith, pagan names were laid aside and new 
names were imposed at the baptism of the converts. Nobles 
and men of position were given separate baptism, but the 
plebeian candidates were divided into companies, and as the 
priest conferred baptism upon a company, he would give the 
same name to all the members of the company. Now. 



66 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

imagine that a whole company were baptised "Robert!" It 
certainly would be an impossible task for their descendants 
to trace their ancestry to one common beginning. 

Then consider the variety of names derived from Robert, 
mentioned in the paragraph above, and a little reflection will 
conxince the most enthusiastic genealogist tliat the attempt 
to trace back all Robinsons to a common ancestor is a pre- 
determined failure. 

Neither should we envy the heroic task of writing a 
history f^f the Robinson Family, as undertaken bv its de- 
voted historiographer, Mr. Chas. E. Robinson. 

Lower (page 177) gives a curious study of statistics 
concerning sixty of the most common surnames of England, 
showing the births, deaths and marriages registered for one 
year, ending July ist, 1838. "In this time, in England 
alone, 1,445 Rol^insons were Ixirn. 1,223 *^'^'^^ ^'i*' 8/7 ^vere 
married." 

Truly a historiographer of such a famil\- has no light 
task ! 

The name has figured largely in early English history. 
There was "Robin of Redesdale," the leader of fifteen thou- 
sand farmers and peasants who. in 1345, at the time of the 
peasants' revolt, marched to Bambury and captured the F.arl 
of Pembroke. The name is also preserved to us in the 
legendery exploits of Robin Hood, the bold Archer of 
Sherwood h'orest, the hero of the common people. His 
name is still used every day in proverbial expressions wher- 
ever the English language is known. "All around Robin 
Hood's barn," indicates an unnecessaril\- circuitous way. 
"Robin Mood's wind," is a name gi\'cn in Lancaster to a 
wind that blows during the thawing of the snow, so named, 
it is said, because Robin Hood once stated that he could 
stand any wind except a thawing wind. 

The great home of the Robinson clan is in the north of 
England, its members becoming less as you travel south. 
There were located its mr)st influential families. 

Mr. Charles E. Kobinson, Historiographer of the "Rob- 
inson Family Association." in his book, entitled. "The Rob- 

LofC. 



ROBINSON FAMILY. 67 

insons and their Kinfolk," has an interesting" chapter on 
"Heraldry." drawing his facts largely from J. Bernard 
Burke in his "General Armory." He tells of the mottoes, 
crests, colors, coats-of-arms of different families of Robin- 
sons, mostly from the North of England. 

Some of these mottos are as follows : 

"Robinson of Yorkshire and Robinson of Lancastershire 
have the same motto, Jlrfiitc, iioii Z'crbis. (By bravery, not 
by words.)" 

"Robinson of Tottenham, 'rirfiis pretiosior aitro.' 
(Virtue is more precious than gold.)" 

"Robinson of Buckinghamshire, Fiiicain Malum bono. 
(I will conquer evil by good.)" Granted in 1731. 

"Robinson of Beverly House, Toronto. Canada. Propcre 
et provide. (Quickly and cautiously.)" 

"Robinson of Scotland, Intcincrata fides. (Uncorrupted 
faith.)" 

"Robinson, Earl of Ripon, Onalis ab inccpto. (The 
same as from the beginning.)" 

"Robinson of Rokeby Hall, County of Louth, Sola in 
Deo Sahis. ( Salvation in God alone. ) " 

"Robinson, Lord Rokeby. Non nobis solum scd toti 
-niundo iiati. ( Not born for ourselves alone, but for the 
whole W'Orld. )" 

"Robinson of Silksworth Hall, County of Durham, de- 
scended from William Robinson of Durham, living in 1502, 
Post nubila PJiocbus. (Sunshine after clouds.)" 

By the kindness of Mr. Charles E. Robinson we here 
reproduce the coat-of-arms of "William Robinson of ye 
North," confirmed by the Herald of Arms in the visita- 
tion of Leicestershire in 16 19, and of London in 1633. 
{Harlcian. publications, pp. 182, 204.)" 

This coat-of-arms is simply given as one among the 
nineteen that are noted by Mr. Charles E. Robinson as 
belonging to different Robinson families, and as a matter of 
interest to any one bearing the Robinson name. 

We have no proof to adduce that "\A'illiam of Newton 
or Watertown," the most remote direct ancestor of Eben- 



68 HISTORICAL SKETCH 

ezer Robinson, known to us. had any connection with 
these Enghsli famlHes entitled to possess coats-of-arms, 
other than the tracHtion of the family that he came from the 
north of England. W'e know that some of the Robinson 
families in America brought over from England parchment 
copies of arms, which appear on early deeds of their prop- 
ert}-. ^^•hile in the list of indi\iduals for whom crests were 
made in early colonial times, in this country, there is no one 
by the name of Robinson. 

So far as we can learn, the ancestors of Ebenezer Robin- 
son were hard-working. God-fearing men and women, who 
deserved well of their generation by their straightforward, 
useful lives. The descendants of Ebenezer Robinson are 
content that he possessed the same characteristics of a good 
husband, a devoted father, a faithful Christian, and that his 
best claim to be remembered by those coming after him, is 
that he was a brave patriot, "A Soldier of the Revolution." 



OFFICERS 



OF THE 



Robinson Family Association 



IPrcslDcnt 

Hon. DAVID I. ROBINSON, Gloucester, Mass. 



l)tcc=lprc6lDcnt6 

Judge Gifford S. Robinson, 
Increase Robinson, 
James H. Dean, Esq., 
George O. Robinson, 
Prof. William H. Brewer, 
Mr. Rosweel R. Robinson, - 
Capt. Charles T. Robinson, 
Rev. William A. Robinson, 
Mr. John H. Robin.son, 
Mr. Charles F. Robinson, - 
Mr George W. Robin.son, 
Henry P. Robinson, - 



Sioux City, la. 
Waterville, Me. 
Taunton, Mass. 
Detroit, Mich. 
New Haven, Conn. 
Maiden, Mass. 
Taunton, Mass. 
Middletown, N. Y. 
Boston, Mass. 
North Raynham, Mass. 
Elburn, 111. 
Guilford, Conn. 



Sccrctar\2 

Adelaide A. Robinson, North Raynham, Mass. 

treasurer 

N. Bradford Dean, Taunton, Mass. 

?Hi5torto(?rapber 

Charles E. Robinson, Yonkers, N. Y. 



JEyccutivc Committee 

Fred W. Robinson, - - . - 

Charles K. Robinson, 

George R. Wright, . . - . 

Orlando G. Robinson, 

Bethuel Penniman, - - - - 



Boston, Mass. 
New York. 
Wilkesbarre, Pa. 
Raynham, Mass. 
New Bedford, Mass. 



The next Biennial Meeting of this Association will be held at 
Plymouth, Massachusetts, in August, 1904. 



lbU3 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESb 



021 392 096 C 



